zero in

verb

Etymology: The 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. Another possible source is the Cartesian coordinate system in mathematics. In the coordinate system, points are defined relative to an origin (point of reference) labeled O, which has an (x,y) coordinate pair of (0,0).

1. To 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.”

2. 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.”

3. To concentrate or focus one's attention (on a task).

   “One member of the check fraud team will zero in on the fingerprints.”

   “Scholarship suggests that pop culture feminists have correctly zeroed in on sexual double standards as a key source of gender inequality in sexuality.”

4. To converge (on).

   “At the spring sale, everyone zeroed in on the bargain clothes.”

   “With 79 minutes gone, the most celebrated team of the modern age had been reduced to bunch of mooching, stumbling yellow-shirted spectators. A Champions League season that had seemed to be zeroing in on another coronation for Lionel Messi had been wrenched, gleefully, the other way.”