zero

zero vt.  1. To set to 0.  Usually said of small pieces of
   data, such as bits or words (esp. in the construction `zero
   out').  2. To erase; to discard all data from.  Said of disks and
   directories, where `zeroing' need not involve actually writing
   zeroes throughout the area being zeroed.  One may speak of
   something being `logically zeroed' rather than being
   `physically zeroed'.  See {scribble}.