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Zero vs Focus - What's the difference?

zero | focus |

As nouns the difference between zero and focus

is that zero is zero while focus is (countable|optics) a point at which reflected or refracted rays of light converge.

As a numeral zero

is zero.

As a verb focus is

to cause (rays of light, etc) to converge at a single point.

zero

English

(wikipedia zero)

Numeral

(head)
  • (cardinal) The cardinal number occurring before one and that denotes no quantity or amount at all, represented in Arabic numerals as .
  • The conductor waited until the passenger count was zero .
    A cheque for zero''' dollars and '''zero''' cents crashed the computers on division by '''zero .

    Usage notes

    * In an adjectival sense, used with the plural of a countable noun: *: I have zero''' dollars and '''zero food.

    Synonyms

    * * o * cipher * (informal) goose egg * naught * nil * no * null

    Derived terms

    * division by zero * zero method * zeroth, zeroeth

    See also

    *

    Noun

  • The numeric symbol that represents the cardinal number zero.
  • The digit in the decimal, binary, and all other base numbering systems.
  • (informal, uncountable) Nothing, or none.
  • The value of a magnitude corresponding to the cardinal number zero.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-06, volume=408, issue=8843, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The rise of smart beta , passage=Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.}}
  • The point on a scale at which numbering or measurement originates.
  • (mathematics) A value of the independent variables of a function, for which the function is equal to zero.
  • (senseid) (mathematics, algebra) The additive identity element of a monoid or greater algebraic structure, particularly a group or ring.
  • Since a commutative zero is the inverse of any additive identity, it must be unique when it exists.
    The zero''' (of a ring or field) has the property that the product of the '''zero''' with any element yields the '''zero .
    The quotient ring over a maximal ideal is a field with a single zero element.
  • (slang) A person of little or no importance.
  • They rudely treated him like a zero .
  • (military) A , a long range fighter aircraft operated by the Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945.
  • A setting of calibrated instruments such as a firearm.
  • (finance) A security which has a zero coupon (paying no periodic interest).
  • The takeovers were financed by issuing zeroes .

    Synonyms

    * (numeric symbol zero) cipher * (digit zero) slashed zero * (point of origin on a scale) origin, zero point * (lowest point) nadir * (negligible or irrelevant amount) naught, nil, nothing, nought, nowt, null, (informal)'' bugger all, ''(informal) fuck all, nada, sod all, sweet FA, sweet Fanny Adams, zilch, zip * (person of little importance) cipher, nobody, nonentity * root * (identity element of a monoid) additive identity

    Derived terms

    * absolute zero * aleph-zero * decimal without a zero * go from zero to hero * ground zero * negative zero * non-zero * positive zero * size zero * sub-zero * zero air * zero-based budget * zero coupon bond * zero-day * zero deflection * zero-dimensional * zero-emission vehicle * zero-grade * zero hour * zero hundred * zero-knowledge * zero-knowledge proof * zero-length launching * zero one infinity rule * zero-point energy * zero-rated * zero-sum * zero-sum game * zero vector * zero gravity

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (informal, used with noun) none
  • She showed zero respect.
  • (meteorology) Of a cloud ceiling, limiting vision to 50 feet (15 meters) or less.
  • (meteorology) Of horizontal visibility, limited to 165 feet (50.3 meters) or less.
  • (linguistics) Present at an abstract level, but not realized in the data.
  • The stem of "kobieta" with the zero ending is "kobiet".

    Synonyms

    * no

    Derived terms

    * zero tolerance

    Verb

    (es)
  • To set a measuring instrument to zero; to calibrate instrument scale to valid zero.
  • Zero the fluorometer with the same solvent used in extraction.
  • (computing) To change a memory location or range to values of zero; to set a variable in a computer program to zero.
  • Results were inconsistent because an array wasn’t zeroed during initialization.
  • To cause or set some value or amount to be zero.
  • They tried to zero the budget by the end of the quarter.
  • To eliminate; to delete; to overwrite with zeros.
  • * 2001 , Mark Pesce, "True Magic", in True Names by Vernor Vinge and the Opening of the Cyberspace Frontier , James Frenkel (editor)
  • They discovered the object code for the simulator that was DON, and zeroed it. DON — or his creator — was clever and had planted many copies,
  • * 2004 , Anna Maxted, Being Committed , page 358
  • If I zeroed Jack, I'd get by So I'd erased him, pretended the last few months had never happened.
  • To disappear
  • * 1997 , Tom Clancy, Executive Orders , page 340
  • Traffic on the encrypted channels used by senior Iraqi generals had peaked and zeroed', then peaked again, and ' zeroed again.

    Synonyms

    * (to set to zero) tare * (to cause to be zero) zero out

    Derived terms

    * zero in * zero in on * zero out

    focus

    English

    (wikipedia focus)

    Noun

  • (countable, optics) A point at which reflected or refracted rays of light converge.
  • (countable, geometry) A point of a conic at which rays reflected from a curve or surface converge.
  • (uncountable, photography, cinematography) The fact of the convergence of light on the photographic medium.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Catherine Clabby
  • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= Focus on Everything , passage=Not long ago, it was difficult to produce photographs of tiny creatures with every part in focus'.
  • (uncountable, photography, cinematography) The quality of the convergence of light on the photographic medium.
  • (uncountable) Concentration of attention.
  • (countable, seismology) The exact point of where an earthquake occurs, in three dimensions.
  • (computing, graphical user interface) The indicator of the currently active element in a user interface.
  • (linguistics) The most important word or phrase in a sentence or passage, or the one that imparts information.
  • Verb

  • To cause (rays of light, etc) to converge at a single point.
  • To adjust (a lens, an optical instrument) in order to position an image with respect to the focal plane.
  • You'll need to focus the microscope carefully in order to capture the full detail of this surface.
  • To concentrate one's attention.
  • Focus on passing the test.
  • To concentrate one’s attention.
  • If you're going to beat your competitors, you need to focus .

    Usage notes

    The spellings focusses'', ''focussing'', ''focussed'' are more common in Commonwealth English than in American English, but in both varieties they are less common than the spellings ''focuses'', ''focusing'', ''focused .

    Derived terms

    * focus group * in focus * out of focus