 6 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
cipher
noun
1: a message written in a secret code [syn: {cypher}]
2: a mathematical element that when added to another number
yields the same number [syn: {zero}, {0}, {nought}, {cypher}]
3: 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" [syn: {nothing},
{nil}, {nix}, {nada}, {null}, {aught}, {cypher}, {goose
egg}, {naught}, {zero}, {zilch}, {zip}]
4: a person of no influence [syn: {cypher}, {nobody}, {nonentity}]
5: a secret method of writing [syn: {cypher}, {cryptograph}, {secret
code}]
verb
1: convert ordinary language into code; "We should encode the
message for security reasons" [syn: {encode}, {code}, {encipher},
{cypher}, {encrypt}, {inscribe}, {write in code}] [ant:
{decode}]
2: make a mathematical calculation or computation [syn: {calculate},
{cypher}, {compute}, {work out}, {reckon}, {figure}]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Cipher \Ci"pher\, noun [OF. cifre zero, F. Chiffre figure (cf.
Sp.cifra, LL. cifra), fr. Ar. [,c]ifrun, [,c]afrun, empty,
cipher, zero, fr. [,c]afira 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. --W. Irving.
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. --Sir W.
Raleigh.
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. --Bp.
Burnet.
{Cipher key}, a key to assist in reading writings in cipher.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Cipher \Ci"pher\, adjective
Of the nature of a cipher; of no weight or influence.
''Twelve cipher bishops.'' --Milton.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Cipher \Ci"pher\, verb (used without an object) [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.
--Goldsmith.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Cipher \Ci"pher\, verb (used with an object)
1. To write in occult characters.
His notes he ciphered with Greek characters.
--Hayward.
2. To get by ciphering; as, to cipher out the answer.
3. To decipher. [Obs.] --Shak.
4. To designate by characters. [Obs.] --Shak.
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
175 Moby Thesaurus words for "cipher":
Aesopian language, Babel, Greek, John Hancock, X, a nobody,
a nothing, add, algebraize, allegory, alphabetic character, argot,
aught, autograph, babble, binary digit, bit, break, calculate,
cant, cast, character, charactery, christcross, clear up, code,
coded message, common man, compute, conventional symbol,
countermark, countersign, countersignature, counterstamp, cross,
cryptoanalysis, cryptoanalytics, cryptogram, cryptograph,
cryptographer, cryptography, decipher, device, digit, divide,
dope out, double Dutch, dud, dummy, emblem, encipher, encode,
endorsement, estimate, extract roots, figure, figure in,
figure out, figurehead, garble, gibberish, gift of tongues,
glossolalia, gobbledygook, goose egg, graph, grapheme, hand,
hollow man, iconology, ideogram, initials, insignificancy, integer,
invisible ink, jackstraw, jargon, jumble, lay figure, letter,
lexigraphic character, lightweight, little fellow, little guy,
logogram, logotype, love knot, man of straw, mark,
mark of signature, measure, mediocrity, monogram, multiply, nada,
naught, nebbish, nichts, nihil, nil, nix, no such thing, nobody,
nobody one knows, noise, nonentity, notation, nothing,
nothing at all, nothing on earth, nothing whatever, nullity,
number, numeral, numero, obscurity, phonetic character,
phonetic symbol, pictogram, pictographic character, pip-squeak,
punk, puppet, pushover, puzzle out, reckon, resolve, runt, score,
scramble, scrub, seal, secret language, secret writing, shrimp,
sigil, sign, sign manual, signature, signet, slang, small fry,
small potato, small potatoes, squirt, squit, subscription,
subtract, syllabic, symbol, symbolic system, symbolism,
symbolization, symbology, sympathetic ink, take account of, tally,
thing of naught, token, totem, totem pole, trifle, type, unravel,
unriddle, visa, vise, whiffet, whippersnapper, whole number,
work out, writing, written character, zero, zilch
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