not en · ADV
Pronunciation
- /nɒt/ (Canada)
- (US) audio
- /nɔt/ (Australia)
- [näʔ] Dublin
- /nɑt/ (General-American)
- /nɒt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /nɒt/ (New-Zealand)
- (London) audio
- (UK) audio
- [nɞt] (Ireland)
- [nɔ̟t] (New-Zealand)
- /nɔt/ (British, Southern, Standard)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Germanic *ne Proto-West Germanic *ne Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu Proto-Indo-European *-osinflu. Proto-Germanic *aiwaz Proto-West Germanic *aiw univ. Proto-West Germanic *naiw Proto-Indo-European *wekʷ- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *wékʷtisder.? Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *wéǵʰtisder.? Proto-Germanic *wihtą Proto-West Germanic *wiht Proto-West Germanic *naiwwiht Old English nāwiht Old English *nōht Middle English nought Middle English not English not From Middle English not, nat, a variant of noght, naht (“not, nothing”), from Old English *nōht, nāht (“nought, nothing”), shortening of nōwiht, nāwiht (“nothing”, literally “not anything”), from Proto-West Germanic *naiwwiht, corresponding to ne (“not”) + ōwiht, āwiht (“anything”), corresponding to ā (“ever, always”) + wiht (“thing, creature”). Cognate with Scots nat, naucht (“not”), Saterland Frisian nit (“not”), West Frisian net (“not”), Dutch niet (“not”), German nicht (“not”). Compare nought, naught and aught. More at no, wight, whit.
Meanings
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(not-comparable) Negates the meaning of the modified verb.
Not a day passes when I don't regret not having enrolled in medicine.
People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got.
1973 November 17, Richard Milhous Nixon, Orlando press conferenceIt was felt desirable that she not leave school before fourteen.
Oh, Pete. This is not the gym. — That’s right, Anna. This is the mailroom.
2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)Not knowing any better, I went ahead.
The sound of Abba singing ‘Dancing Queen’ had started up in a room the other side of the court. Adrian slammed the window shut. ‘That’ll teach you to throw things out of the window,’ said Gary. ‘It’ll teach me not to throw things out of the window.’
1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section I, page 42:I'd rather MoM (did) not stay, cuz the best thing about a holiday is not working.
I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.
1998 January 26, William Jefferson Clinton, White House press conferenceDid you take out the trash? — No, I did not. I do not think it was my turn, was it?
-
(not-comparable) To no degree.
That is not red; it's green.
Expectation: Everybody in the family has to love everybody else. Reaction: Not the ghost of Christmas past, present, or future could pull this one off unless feeling is already there.
1984 December 22, John Stout, “Home for the Holidays: Survival Strategies for Gays”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 23, page 5:It's not you, it's me.
-
(not-comparable) Used to indicate the opposite or near opposite, often in a form of understatement.
That day was not the best day of my life. (meaning the day was bad or awful)
It was not my favorite movie of all time. (meaning the speaker dislikes or strongly dislikes the movie)
I wonder if I shouldn't see a doctor - I've been feeling funny the last few days.
In the not too distant future my view on the matter might be not a million miles away from yours.
After not a few threats, they got what they’d been after for so long.
-
(not-comparable) Used before a determiner phrase, a pronominal phrase etc. to convey a negative attitude (e.g. denial, sadness, anger) towards something.
Not another rainy day!
Oh god, not that! Anything but that!
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(informal, ironic, not-comparable) Used before a non-finite clause (especially a gerund-participial clause) or less commonly a determiner phrase to ironically convey some attitude (e.g. surprise, incredulity, amusement, or embarrassment) towards something.
Not me writing example sentences again.
Not me crying by the end of that!! You are a brilliant, beautiful human who deserves no less than the world. Thank you for taking the time to watch unicorn store. It’s a film that means so much to me.
2023 July 8, @brielarson [Brie Larson], Twitter:[Keke] Palmer tells Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager to “mind y'all's business” when they ask about her relationship with [Darius] Jackson. ¶ “Not y’all trying to get into it! They trying it on the Today show,” Palmer joked when the subject was first brought up on Today With Hoda & Jenna.
2023 December 9, “Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson: A Complete Relationship Timeline”, in Glamour:
Deriveds
not a word · not again · not dog · whatnot · not-self · notspot · not necessarily · injucundity · notness · not-so-hot · Not-Deer · notwheat · notpology · wherenot · not-for-profit · astronot · could not get elected dogcatcher · not to put too fine a point on it
Relateds
forget-me-not (negates meaning of verb) · won't (negates meaning of verb) · not bad (negates meaning of verb) · didn't (negates meaning of verb) · don't (negates meaning of verb) · wasn't (negates meaning of verb) · daren't (negates meaning of verb) · needn't (negates meaning of verb) · mightn't (negates meaning of verb) · no (negates meaning of verb) · shan't (negates meaning of verb) · ain't (negates meaning of verb) · neither (negates meaning of verb) · wouldn't (negates meaning of verb) · not think (negates meaning of verb) · nor (negates meaning of verb) · can't (negates meaning of verb) · cannot (negates meaning of verb) · hasn't (negates meaning of verb) · shouldn't (negates meaning of verb) · aren't (negates meaning of verb) · isn't (negates meaning of verb) · not quite (negates meaning of verb) · have-not (negates meaning of verb) · hadn't (negates meaning of verb) · doesn't (negates meaning of verb) · not guilty (negates meaning of verb) · haven't (negates meaning of verb) · notwithstanding (negates meaning of verb)
Translations (324)
it mica (negates meaning of another word) · nn ei (negates meaning of another word) · de ned (negates meaning of another word) · sq s' (negates meaning of another word) · fo ei (negates meaning of another word) · ar مش (negates meaning of another word) · fy net (negates meaning of another word) · os нӕ (negates meaning of another word) · ce яц (negates meaning of another word) · sga nícon (negates meaning of another word) · ne छैन (negates meaning of another word) · pam e (negates meaning of another word) · eu ez (negates meaning of another word) · te కాదు (negates meaning of another word) · sa न (negates meaning of another word) · rom ni (negates meaning of another word) · de nicht (negates meaning of another word) · ar مو (negates meaning of another word) · oc non (negates meaning of another word) · scn nun (negates meaning of another word) · la ne (negates meaning of another word) · ofs ni (negates meaning of another word) · he לא (negates meaning of another word) · su teu (negates meaning of another word) · ur نہیں (negates meaning of another word) · tyz mì (negates meaning of another word) · rom na (negates meaning of another word) · ckb نە (negates meaning of another word) · dmw kula (negates meaning of another word) · is eigi (negates meaning of another word) · yi נישט (negates meaning of another word) · zh 沒有 /没有 (negates meaning of another word) · oj gaawiin (negates meaning of another word) · hsn 不 (negates meaning of another word) · ru не (negates meaning of another word) · apw dawǫ́’ (negates meaning of another word) · la nunquam (negates meaning of another word) · bcl bako (negates meaning of another word) · id tidak (negates meaning of another word) · fr pas (negates meaning of another word) · ml ഇല്ല (negates meaning of another word) · lad נון (negates meaning of another word) · de niad (negates meaning of another word) · ar مش (negates meaning of another word) · ko 안 (negates meaning of another word) · tyz bố (negates meaning of another word) · ar مَا (negates meaning of another word) · cu не (negates meaning of another word) · de nit (negates meaning of another word) · gd chan eil (negates meaning of another word) · tzj ma (negates meaning of another word) · pa ਨਾ (negates meaning of another word) · mww tsis (negates meaning of another word) · odt niewiht (negates meaning of another word) · lnj ngga' (negates meaning of another word) · el δε (negates meaning of another word) · gug nd- -i (negates meaning of another word) · enm not (negates meaning of another word) · ga cha (negates meaning of another word) · mi kāore (negates meaning of another word) · aeb مُوش (negates meaning of another word) · la hau (negates meaning of another word) · swg et (negates meaning of another word) · ga níor (negates meaning of another word) · ar ماشي (negates meaning of another word) · slr emes (negates meaning of another word) · rap kai (negates meaning of another word) · mn үлүү (negates meaning of another word) · hu nem (negates meaning of another word) · ar مش (negates meaning of another word) · bni te (negates meaning of another word) · dsb nje- (negates meaning of another word) · lep ᰕ- -ᰍᰬ (negates meaning of another word) · ms endah (Sarawak) (negates meaning of another word) · fa نه (negates meaning of another word) · frr ek (negates meaning of another word) · la nil (negates meaning of another word) · dum niet (negates meaning of another word) · sm lē (negates meaning of another word) · ar مو (negates meaning of another word) · acm مو (negates meaning of another word) · kk емес (negates meaning of another word) · kxd endah (negates meaning of another word) · tg не (negates meaning of another word) · bo མ (negates meaning of another word) · bh नाहीं (negates meaning of another word) · ar ما (negates meaning of another word) · tt түгел (negates meaning of another word) · mrw di' (negates meaning of another word) · scn unn (negates meaning of another word) · nod ᨷᩴ᩵ (negates meaning of another word) · egy nj (negates meaning of another word) · gmw-ecg ne (negates meaning of another word) · inh ца (negates meaning of another word) · gd chan (negates meaning of another word) · ga char (negates meaning of another word) · enm nought (negates meaning of another word) · pl nie (negates meaning of another word) · uz emas (negates meaning of another word) · khb ᨷᩢ (negates meaning of another word) · ceb dili (negates meaning of another word) · ce ца (negates meaning of another word) · sh не (negates meaning of another word) · qu ama (negates meaning of another word) · fo ikki (negates meaning of another word) · yai на (negates meaning of another word) · eo ne (negates meaning of another word) · yue 不 (negates meaning of another word) · fr ne ... pas (negates meaning of another word) · nxq me (negates meaning of another word) · ig ọ bụghị (negates meaning of another word) · gmw-ecg nit (negates meaning of another word) · el μην (negates meaning of another word) · odt ne- (negates meaning of another word) · as নহয় (negates meaning of another word) · sga ní (negates meaning of another word) · ja -ません (negates meaning of another word) · lo ບໍ່ (negates meaning of another word) · anq naɖem (negates meaning of another word) · yue 唔 (negates meaning of another word) · is ei (negates meaning of another word) · ja ...ない (negates meaning of another word) · my မ ... ဘူး (negates meaning of another word) · hi न (negates meaning of another word) · la nec (negates meaning of another word) · tl hindi (negates meaning of another word) · ur مت (negates meaning of another word) · da ej (negates meaning of another word) · ang ne (negates meaning of another word) · es no (negates meaning of another word) · af nie ... nie (negates meaning of another word) · bn না (negates meaning of another word) · ofs ne (negates meaning of another word) · be не (negates meaning of another word) · zh 不 (negates meaning of another word) · sv inte (negates meaning of another word) · zh 沒 /没 (negates meaning of another word) · frr ei (negates meaning of another word) · mt lanqas (negates meaning of another word) · rom ći (negates meaning of another word) · grc μή (negates meaning of another word) · swg net (negates meaning of another word) · nb ei (negates meaning of another word) · su sanés (negates meaning of another word) · la non (negates meaning of another word) · arc lā (negates meaning of another word) · msk di (negates meaning of another word) · ny osati (negates meaning of another word) · nn ikkje (negates meaning of another word) · yi ניט (negates meaning of another word) · ja ...ではない (negates meaning of another word) · su enteu (negates meaning of another word) · hy չ- + (negates meaning of another word) · mk не (negates meaning of another word) · gmw-ecg net (negates meaning of another word) · ood pi (negates meaning of another word) · ccc kala (negates meaning of another word) · osx ne (negates meaning of another word) · de nit (negates meaning of another word) · zdj tsi (negates meaning of another word) · rup nu (negates meaning of another word) · nmn ǁʻàa (negates meaning of another word) · sv icke (negates meaning of another word) · lb net (negates meaning of another word) · th ไม่ใช่ (negates meaning of another word) · ur نہ (negates meaning of another word) · rap hoki (negates meaning of another word) · hi नहीं (negates meaning of another word) · mn биш (negates meaning of another word) · wuu 勿 (negates meaning of another word) · gag -ma (negates meaning of another word) · bo མིན (negates meaning of another word) · ar ما (negates meaning of another word) · ht pa (negates meaning of another word) · he אֵין (negates meaning of another word) · et ei (negates meaning of another word) · th ไม่ (negates meaning of another word) · tr -ma (negates meaning of another word) · nl niet (negates meaning of another word) · de it (negates meaning of another word) · de net (negates meaning of another word) · klj داغ (negates meaning of another word) · ar لَا (negates meaning of another word) · ln te (negates meaning of another word) · cy dim (negates meaning of another word) · rue не (negates meaning of another word) · anq -ma (negates meaning of another word) · tet la (negates meaning of another word) · gag -me (negates meaning of another word) · ko ...아니다 (negates meaning of another word) · amu chi (negates meaning of another word) · tk däl (negates meaning of another word) · swg it (negates meaning of another word) · tyz bấu (negates meaning of another word) · km មិន...ទេ (negates meaning of another word) · shn ဢမ်ႇ (negates meaning of another word) · ba түгел (negates meaning of another word) · de net (negates meaning of another word) · it non (negates meaning of another word) · nb ikke (negates meaning of another word) · gmw-ecg ni (negates meaning of another word) · yua ma' (negates meaning of another word) · tyz nắm (negates meaning of another word) · ayn مش (negates meaning of another word) · gu નથી (negates meaning of another word) · la neque (negates meaning of another word) · zh бу (negates meaning of another word) · as না (negates meaning of another word) · is ekki (negates meaning of another word) · grc οὐ (negates meaning of another word) · id tak (negates meaning of another word) · vi chẳng (negates meaning of another word) · fr ne (negates meaning of another word) · pam ali (negates meaning of another word) · az deyil (negates meaning of another word) · bo མི (negates meaning of another word) · ckb نا (negates meaning of another word) · miq apia (negates meaning of another word) · zea nie (negates meaning of another word) · kl -nngit (negates meaning of another word) · zh 無 /无 (negates meaning of another word) · ace hana (negates meaning of another word) · ug ئەمەس (negates meaning of another word) · gd cha (negates meaning of another word) · af nie (negates meaning of another word) · el μη (negates meaning of another word) · ms tidak (negates meaning of another word) · be ня (negates meaning of another word) · tr değil (negates meaning of another word) · ga gan (negates meaning of another word) · ky эмес (negates meaning of another word) · ro nu (negates meaning of another word) · jv ora (negates meaning of another word) · csb ni (negates meaning of another word) · odt ne (negates meaning of another word) · kkh ᨷᩢ (negates meaning of another word) · sh ne (negates meaning of another word) · lt ne- (negates meaning of another word) · da ikke (negates meaning of another word) · lv ne- (negates meaning of another word) · mr नाही (negates meaning of another word) · cs ne- (negates meaning of another word) · tr -me (negates meaning of another word) · kij gala (negates meaning of another word) · de nöt (negates meaning of another word) · so ma (negates meaning of another word) · ar لَم (negates meaning of another word) · bpl tera (negates meaning of another word) · nv dooda (negates meaning of another word) · cdo 伓 (negates meaning of another word) · tyz ná (negates meaning of another word) · gl non (negates meaning of another word) · ar مب (negates meaning of another word) · scn non (negates meaning of another word) · tzm pronoun (negates meaning of another word) · bo མེད (negates meaning of another word) · kn ಅಲ್ಲ (negates meaning of another word) · ce ма (negates meaning of another word) · hi मत (negates meaning of another word) · scn 'un (negates meaning of another word) · haw ʻaʻole (negates meaning of another word) · oc pas (negates meaning of another word) · zh 無 /无 (negates meaning of another word) · ar لَن (negates meaning of another word) · ar مو (negates meaning of another word) · bsh nā̃i (negates meaning of another word) · ta இல்லை (negates meaning of another word) · ga ní (negates meaning of another word) · zh 非 (negates meaning of another word) · zh 別 /别 (negates meaning of another word) · ar مش (negates meaning of another word) · sk ne- (negates meaning of another word) · scn nn' (negates meaning of another word) · sv ej (negates meaning of another word) · za mbouj (negates meaning of another word) · hak 唔 (negates meaning of another word) · sl nè (negates meaning of another word) · ar لَيْسَ (negates meaning of another word) · ka არ (negates meaning of another word) · vi không (negates meaning of another word) · as ন- (negates meaning of another word) · bg не (negates meaning of another word) · ca no (negates meaning of another word) · frr ni (negates meaning of another word) · ast nun (negates meaning of another word) · uk не (negates meaning of another word) · la haut (negates meaning of another word) · tsg di (negates meaning of another word) · hit 𒈾𒀜𒋫 (negates meaning of another word) · gmw-ecg nich (negates meaning of another word) · mn ᠦᠯᠦ (negates meaning of another word) · gag diil (negates meaning of another word) · ha ba (negates meaning of another word) · mt mhux (negates meaning of another word) · ia non (negates meaning of another word) · zh 未 (negates meaning of another word) · wbk ne (negates meaning of another word) · vi chả (negates meaning of another word) · enq daa (negates meaning of another word) · ga chan (negates meaning of another word) · enm ne (negates meaning of another word) · frr ai (negates meaning of another word) · hmc tsis (negates meaning of another word) · sq nuk (negates meaning of another word) · fi ei (negates meaning of another word) · el δεν (negates meaning of another word) · klj dâğ (negates meaning of another word) · blt ꪹꪚ꪿ꪱ (negates meaning of another word) · ms bukan (negates meaning of another word) · non ekki (negates meaning of another word) · gmw-ecg nicht (negates meaning of another word) · am አይደለም (negates meaning of another word) · ca no ... pas (negates meaning of another word) · io ne (negates meaning of another word) · chr Ꮭ (negates meaning of another word) · de nüt (negates meaning of another word) · co micca (negates meaning of another word) · mi e kore (negates meaning of another word) · pt não (negates meaning of another word) · orv не (negates meaning of another word) · la haud (negates meaning of another word) · khb ᦢᧁᧈ (negates meaning of another word) · osx ni (negates meaning of another word) · mn ᠪᠢᠰᠢ (negates meaning of another word)