Noun
a message written in a secret code

Noun
a secret method of writing

Noun
a person of no influence

Noun
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"

Noun
a mathematical element that when added to another number yields the same number

Verb
make a mathematical calculation or computation

Verb
convert ordinary language into code; "We should encode the message for security reasons"

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n.
A character [0] which, standing by itself, expresses nothing, but when placed at the right hand of a whole number, increases its value tenfold.

n.
One who, or that which, has no weight or influence.

n.
A character in general, as a figure or letter.

n.
A combination or interweaving of letters, as the initials of a name; a device; a monogram; as, a painter's cipher, an engraver's cipher, etc. The cut represents the initials N. W.

n.
A private alphabet, system of characters, or other mode of writing, contrived for the safe transmission of secrets; also, a writing in such characters.

a.
Of the nature of a cipher; of no weight or influence.

v. i.
To use figures in a mathematical process; to do sums in arithmetic.

v. t.
To write in occult characters.

v. t.
To get by ciphering; as, to cipher out the answer.

v. t.
To decipher.

v. t.
To designate by characters.

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Cipher

Ci"pher , n. [OF. cifre zero, F. Chiffre figure (cf. Sp.cifra, LL. cifra), fr. Ar. '87ifrun, '87afrun, empty, cipher, zero, fr. '87afira to be empty. Cf. Zero.] 1. (Arith.) A character [0] which, standing by itself, expresses nothing, but when placed at the right hand of a whole number, increases its value tenfold. 2. One who, or that which, has no weight or influence.

Here he was a mere cipher.

3. A character in general, as a figure or letter. [Obs.]

This wisdom began to be written in ciphers and characters and letters bearing the forms of creatures.

4. A combination or interweaving of letters, as the initials of a name; a device; a monogram; as, a painter's cipher, an engraver's cipher, etc. The cut represents the initials N. W. 5. A private alphabet, system of characters, or other mode of writing, contrived for the safe transmission of secrets; also, a writing in such characters.

His father . . . engaged him when he was very young to write all his letters to England in cipher.

Cipher key, a key to assist in reading writings in cipher.

Cipher

Ci"pher, a. Of the nature of a cipher; of no weight or influence. "Twelve cipher bishops." Milton.

Cipher

Ci"pher, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ciphered ; p. pr. & vb. n. Ciphering.] To use figures in a mathematical process; to do sums in arithmetic.

"T was certain he could write and cipher too.

Cipher

Ci"pher, v. t. 1. To write in occult characters.

His notes he ciphered with Greek characters.

2. To get by ciphering; as, to cipher out the answer. 3. To decipher. [Obs.] Shak. 4. To designate by characters. [Obs.] Shak.

A character [0] which, standing by itself, expresses nothing, but when placed at the right hand of a whole number, increases its value tenfold.

Of the nature of a cipher; of no weight or influence.

To use figures in a mathematical process; to do sums in arithmetic.

To write in occult characters.