not

¹

[ not ]

adverb

1. (used to express negation, denial, refusal, or prohibition):

   You must not do that. It's not far from here.

2. U.S. Slang. (used jocularly as a postpositive interjection to indicate that a previous statement is untrue):

   I just love working overtime without pay. Not!

NOT

²

[ not ]

noun

1. a Boolean operator that returns a positive result if its operand is negative and a negative result if its operand is positive.

not-

³

1. variant of noto- before a vowel.

not

¹

/ nɒt /

adverb

1. 1. used to negate the sentence, phrase, or word that it modifies

      I will not stand for it

   2. ( in combination )

      they cannot go

2. not that
   not that conjunction which is not to say or suppose that Also (archaic)not but what

   I expect to lose the game — not that I mind

sentence substitute

1. used to indicate denial, negation, or refusal

   certainly not

not-

²

combining_form

1. See noto-
   a variant of noto-

Word History and Origins

Origin of not¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; weak variant of nought

Word History and Origins

Origin of not¹

C14 not, variant of nought nothing, from Old English nāwiht, from nā no + wiht creature, thing. See naught , nought

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. not so much, Informal. (an expression of dismissive scorn, ambivalence, or skepticism):

   Attractive? Yes. Smart? Not so much.

   Is the world coming to an end? Yeah, not so much.

More idioms and phrases containing not

• all that glitters is not gold
• (not) all there
• (not) at all
• believe it or not
• caught dead, not be
• (not a) Chinaman's chance
• coming or going, not know if
• do as I say (not as I do)
• game is not worth the candle
• heart (not) in it
• hold one's breath, not
• (not) in the least
• (not) in the mood
• it's (not) your funeral
• last but not least
• like as not
• living soul, not a
• mince matters, not to
• more often than not
• (not) move a muscle
• no problem (not to worry)
• (not to) sneeze at
• (not) take no for an answer
• (not) the half of it
• (not) turn a hair
• two wrongs do not make a right
• waste not, want not
• whether or not
• without a (not a) leg to stand on
• won't (will not) hear of
• can't
• couldn't
• wouldn't

Example Sentences

“Gently rolling hills” roll not-so-gently under my tires, but the English countryside scenery is soporific.

From The Daily Beast

It was promoted on what might be called not-quite-mainstream or, indeed, axe-to-grind media.

From The Daily Beast

In the not-too-distant future, the AMRAAM might also be out-ranged by new weapons that are being developed around the world.

From The Daily Beast

An autopsy found highly toxic cyanide levels in the blood of the not-so-dearly departed.

From The Daily Beast

And with each false alarm, the not-so-subtle panic continues, as Europe waits and wonders what happens next.

From The Daily Beast

Such throats are trying, are they not?In case one catches cold; Ah, yes!

From Project Gutenberg

Consequently, while the direction of the what-not-how-now line is definitely fixed, their actual positions remain unestablished.

From Project Gutenberg

We should in this case expect not-white rather than white, and so much rather, that we would lay two to one upon it.

From Project Gutenberg

If T is a B in only six cases of every twelve, and a not-B in only one, what is it in the other five?

From Project Gutenberg

Her silk parasol, of the blue of a forget-me-not, rested against her knee, and at her breast was a cream-tinted rose.

From Project Gutenberg