zero in
To focus one's aim; to zoom in and centerTo focus one's aim; to zoom in and center (on something).
» Nobody got zero in that test.
Tatoeba contributors · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
4 sensesTo focus one's aim; to zoom in and center (on something).
The pilot zeroed in on the bunker and launched a guided missile.
Zero in and find a watermark in the image.
To successfully narrow down a search (for).
We have zeroed in on the source of the problem.
See if you can zero in on the caller.
To concentrate or focus one's attention (on a task).
One member of the check fraud team will zero in on the fingerprints.
(idiomatic)To converge (on).
At the spring sale, everyone zeroed in on the bargain clothes.
- adjust (as by firing under test conditions) the zero of (a gun)
- direct onto a point or target, especially by automatic navigational aids
Examples
20 sentencesNobody got zero in that test.
He has zero interest in sports.
I just want to zero in on this.
Our neighborhood has become ground zero in a gang war.
A good lawyer will always zero in on a key piece of evidence.
Translations
2 languagesOrigin
The phrase possibly comes from adjusting a sighting mechanism of a firearm to minimise theThe phrase possibly comes from adjusting a sighting mechanism of a firearm to minimise the discrepancy between where the sight points and where a bullet lands on a target.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
zeroes in, zeroing in, zeroed in, zeroed in| Base form | zero in · to zero in |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | zeroes in |
| Present participle | zeroing in |
| Past simple | zeroed in |
| Past participle | zeroed in |
irregular
Phrasal verbs
2 phrasal verbsSynonyms
3 synonymsWord family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Phrasal verbs: introduction — Because it is a phrasal verb