naw en · INTJ
Pronunciation
- /nɔː/ (UK)
- /nɑ/ (cot-caught-merger)
- /nɔ/ (US)
- nä (cot-caught-merger)
- nô (US)
- nô (UK)
Etymology
In Scottish use, from Scots naw, naa, na, from Middle English na, from Old English nā (“no, never”). More generally, a colloquial, unarticulated form of no; compare nah. More at no.
Meanings
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(informal) No.
"Naw, no trouble. Just pulled off the road for about ten minutes, maybe, when a couple of Nip fighters banked overhead. They were after something or other." "Is that right?" Mac replied.
2003, Anton F. Bilek, Tony Bilek, Gene O'Connell, No Uncle Sam: The Forgotten of Bataan, Kent State University Press, →ISBN, page 31:“Naw, no thanks. I'll catch you next time.” “Come on, Shane. All you do is work, work, and work. You need to have a little fun, don't you?” “Right now, I'm having a lot of fun. Trust me.” “Do you have company?” “No, I'm painting.”
2012 November 1, Brenda Hampton, Naughty No More, Urban Books, →ISBN:But listen Willis You do understand, don't you? Naw, I don't think so. Larry?
1986, Melvin Dixon, “The Boy with Beer”, in Joseph Beam, editor, In The Life: A Black Gay Anthology, page 27:'Naw, hen, sorry. Ye're too young for us. Come back when you've got a couple mair years under yer belt, eh?'
2012, Alex Gray, A Pound of Flesh:
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(Jamaica, alt-of, pronunciation-spelling) Pronunciation spelling of not.
alt of not