The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word ZERO
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
Z
E
R
O
More clues leading to the result ZERO
- Boozer opening — nothing inside
- Share of nearly all booze pronounced dodgy
- Nothing from first bit of zinc aggregate returned
- Love in bronze: Rodin!
- In France, the humorous monarch’s old love
- Japanese fighter gives you nothing
- Duck from down under about to be introduced to west
- Unknown tail-ender in disgrace, run out for 0
- Ineffective person about to be involved in lightweight uprising
- Zimbabwe, gutted, run out for 15
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "5" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case 5 = zero.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ZERO mean?
ZERO noun- The numeric symbol that represents the cardinal number zero.
- The digit 0 in the decimal, binary, and all other base numbering systems.
- Nothing, or none.
- The value of a magnitude corresponding to the cardinal number zero.
- The point on a scale at which numbering or measurement originates.
- A value of the independent variables of a function, for which the function is equal to zero.
- The additive identity element of a monoid or greater algebraic structure, particularly a group or ring.
- A person of little or no importance.
- A Mitsubishi A6M Zero, a long range fighter aircraft operated by the Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945.
- A setting of calibrated instruments such as a firearm.
- A security which has a zero coupon (paying no periodic interest).
- To set a measuring instrument to zero; to calibrate instrument scale to valid zero.
- To change a memory location or range to values of zero; to set a variable in a computer program to zero.
- To cause or set some value or amount to be zero.
- To eliminate; to delete; to overwrite with zeros.
- To disappear
- No, not any
- Of a cloud ceiling, limiting vision to 50 feet (15 meters) or less.
- Of horizontal visibility, limited to 165 feet (50.3 meters) or less.
- Present at an abstract level, but not realized in the surface form.
- The cardinal number occurring before one and that denotes no quantity or amount at all, represented in Arabic numerals as 0.