Zeroes

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Zero \Ze"ro\, n.; pl. {Zeros}or {Zeroes}. [F. z['e]ro, from Ar.
     [,c]afrun, [,c]ifrun, empty, a cipher. Cf. {Cipher}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. (Arith.) A cipher; nothing; naught.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. The point from which the graduation of a scale, as of a
        thermometer, commences.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Zero in the Centigrade, or Celsius thermometer, and in
           the R['e]aumur thermometer, is at the point at which
           water congeals. The zero of the Fahrenheit thermometer
           is fixed at the point at which the mercury stands when
           immersed in a mixture of snow and common salt. In
           Wedgwood's pyrometer, the zero corresponds with
           1077[deg] on the Fahrenheit scale. See Illust. of
           {Thermometer}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Fig.: The lowest point; the point of exhaustion; as, his
        patience had nearly reached zero.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Absolute zero}. See under {Absolute}.
  
     {Zero method} (Physics), a method of comparing, or measuring,
        forces, electric currents, etc., by so opposing them that
        the pointer of an indicating apparatus, or the needle of a
        galvanometer, remains at, or is brought to, zero, as
        contrasted with methods in which the deflection is
        observed directly; -- called also {null method}.
  
     {Zero point}, the point indicating zero, or the commencement
        of a scale or reckoning.
        [1913 Webster]
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  zero
       adj 1: indicating the absence of any or all units under
              consideration; "a zero score" [syn: {0}]
       2: indicating an initial point or origin
       3: of or relating to the null set (a set with no members)
       4: having no measurable or otherwise determinable value; "the
          goal is zero population growth" [syn: {zero(a)}]
       n 1: a quantity of no importance; "it looked like nothing I had
            ever seen before"; "reduced to nil all the work we had
            done"; "we racked up a pathetic goose egg"; "it was all
            for naught"; "I didn't hear zilch about it" [syn: {nothing},
             {nil}, {nix}, {nada}, {null}, {aught}, {cipher}, {cypher},
             {goose egg}, {naught}, {zilch}, {zip}]
       2: a mathematical element that when added to another number
          yields the same number [syn: {0}, {nought}, {cipher}, {cypher}]
       3: the quantity that registers a reading of zero on a scale
          [syn: {zero point}]
       v 1: adjust (an instrument or device) to zero value
       2: adjust (as by firing under test conditions) the zero of (a
          gun); "He zeroed in his rifle at 200 yards" [syn: {zero in}]
       [also: {zeroes} (pl)]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  zeroes
       See {zero}