if not en · CCONJ
Pronunciation
- (Mid-Atlantic, US) audio
Meanings
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(qualifier:plain literal sense) Indicates that a statement is true in the event that a condition is not satisfied.
The plant will die if not watered.
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Indicates that one statement at least is true, and possibly a second, stronger statement is true; perhaps even.
People who talk about an imminent possibility of war seldom pose this question: What would North Korea’s leadership get from unleashing a war that they are likely to lose in weeks, if not days?
2013 April 9, Andrei Lankov, “Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff.”, in New York Times:He did as well as expected, if not better.
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Indicates that one statement is true, but a second is not; but not.
I saw that he had improved his manners if not his scruffy appearance.
Relateds
Translations (24)
it se non (Translations) · gd mura (Translations) · fi ellei (Translations) · pl jeśli nie (Translations) · fr si pas (Translations) · gd mana (Translations) · ru е́сли не (Translations) · am ያለዚያ (Translations) · pl jeżeli nie (Translations) · la nisi (Translations) · nl zo niet (Translations) · ar إِلَّا (Translations) · pt senão (Translations) · ja ではないにしろ (Translations) · pt se não (Translations) · tr aksi takdirde (Translations) · fr sinon (Translations) · tr yoksa (Translations) · eo se ne (Translations) · es de no (Translations) · es si no (Translations) · fi jos ei (Translations) · tr aksi hâlde (Translations) · fr pour ne pas dire (Translations)