ground zero
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Tweet n. 1. a. The site of impact or explosion of a projectile, such as a missile or bomb. b. The site of impact or explosion of a naturally falling object such as a meteoroid. 2. a. The site of a terrorist bombing or other violent act of destruction. b. The site directly below, directly above, or at the point of detonation of a nuclear weapon. 3. The center of rapid or intense development or change: “The neighborhood scarcely existed five years ago, but today it is the ground zero from which designer shops and restaurants radiate” (Robert Clark). 4. The starting point or most basic level: My client didn't like my preliminary designs, so I returned to ground zero. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.