Null Meaning
/nʌl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA non-existent or empty value or set of values.
nounZero quantity of expressions; nothing.
Sentence Examples
This bond is null and void.
How is Null expressed as a regular expression?
There are people to whom null is a positive number.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The court ruled the contract ____ because it lacked a valid signature.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The contract was declared ____ and void because it had not been signed by both parties.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Middle French nul, from Latin nūllus.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The kindes of Cyphars, (beſides the Simple Cyphars with Changes, and the intermixtures of Nvlles, and Nonsignificants) are many, according to the Nature or Rule of infoulding : Wheele-Cyphars, Kay-Cyphars, Dovbles, &c."
— 1605, Francis Bacon, “The Second Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC, folio 61, recto:
"And however Firmilian and S. Cyprian might be deceived in the thinking hereticks quite loſt their orders ; yet in this they were untouched, that although their ſuppoſition was queſtionable, yet their ſuperſtructure was not meddled with, viz. That if they had been Lay-perſons, their Baptizations were null and invalid."
— a. 1667, Rev. Jeremy Taylor, “Clerus Domini: or, A Discourse of the Divine Institution, Necessity, Sacredness, and Separation of the Office Ministerial”, in Ενιαυτος: A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays Of the year, 3rd edition, London: E. Tyler, page 19:
"In proportion as we descend the social scale our snobbishness fastens on to mere nothings which are perhaps no more null than the distinctions observed by the aristocracy, but, being more obscure, more peculiar to the individual, take us more by surprise."
— 1924, Marcel Proust, Within a Budding Grove:
"The most recent attempt to contact Pioneer 10 was on 6-7 February 2003. But in this case, the Madrid station got conclusively null results after an assiduous search."
— 2003 February 20, James A. Van Allen, “Termination of Pioneer 10's Mission”, in Pioneer 10 & 11 GTT Charged Particles, The University of Iowa:
"In normal operation, the input cranks to both the MPCU and standby rudder actuator will rotate to provide the servo valve command to the units, and the rudder will be hydraulically moved by the MPCU. The rudder movement is in turn fed back mechanically to both the MPCU and standby actuator systems so that when the rudder surface deflects to the position commanded by the pilot, the input cranks on both of the units will be returned to their null positions. Thus, there is a geometric relationship between the rudder position, the input crank of the MPCU, the torque tube, and the input crank of the standby rudder actuator that is retained during normal operation."
— 2001 March 27, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.16.3 Detail Examination and Tests of Standby Rudder Actuator Input Shaft and Bearing”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Uncontrolled Descent and Collision With Terrain, United Airlines Flight 585, Boeing 737-200, N999UA, 4 Miles South of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, Colorado Springs, Colorado, March 3, 1991, archived from the original on 08 May 2022, pages 62–63:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The court ruled the contract ____ because it lacked a valid signature.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The contract was declared ____ and void because it had not been signed by both parties.