zero out
C1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To make a number go all the way down to zero, or to completely get rid of something like a budget
Literal meaning: To bring a figure or counter out to (i.e., resulting in) zero
Meanings
1 C1 neutral
To reduce a budget, fund, or financial balance to zero; to cut all funding from something
"The committee voted to zero out the arts program entirely next fiscal year."
Grammar: separable
2 C1 neutral
To reset a counter, score, or value to zero in a technical or computing context
"Make sure to zero out the variable before running the loop again."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Common in American business, government, and finance contexts. Can also be used in computing to mean resetting a value to zero. Slightly more technical than everyday usage.
Commonly used with
budget account balance funding debt allocation
Forms
Base
zero out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
zeros out
he/she/it
Past simple
zeroed out
yesterday
Past participle
zeroed out
have + pp
-ing form
zeroing out
continuous
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Synonyms
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