no

[ noh ]

See synonyms for no on Thesaurus.com

adverb

(a negative used to express dissent, denial, or refusal, as in response to a question or request)
(used to emphasize or introduce a negative statement): Not a single person came to the party, no, not a one.

not in any degree or manner; not at all (used with a comparative): He is no better.
not a (used before an adjective to convey the opposite of the adjective's meaning): His recovery was no small miracle.

adjective

not a (used before a noun to convey the opposite of the noun's meaning): She's no beginner on the ski slopes.

noun,plural noes, nos.

an utterance of the word “no.”
a denial or refusal: He responded with a definite no.

a negative vote or voter: The noes have it.

verb (used with object)

to reject, refuse approval, or express disapproval of.

verb (used without object)

to express disapproval.

Idioms about no

no can do, Informal. it can't be done.

Origin of no

First recorded before 900; Middle English no, na, Old English nā, equivalent to ne “not” + ā ay¹

Words Nearby no

Other definitions for no (2 of 7)

no²

[ noh ]

adjective

not any: no money.
not at all; far from being: He is no genius.

very little; negligible: We got her to the hospital in no time.

Origin of no

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; variant of none¹

Other definitions for No (3 of 7)

[ noh ]

noun

Lake, a lake in the Sudd region of S central Sudan, formed by the floodwaters of the White Nile. About 40 sq. mi. (100 sq. km).

Other definitions for No (4 of 7)

Symbol, Chemistry.

nobelium.

Other definitions for Nō (5 of 7)

Nō

or No, Noh

[ noh ]

noun

classic drama of Japan, developed chiefly in the 14th century, employing verse, prose, choral song, and dance in highly conventionalized formal and thematic patterns derived from religious sources and folk myths.

Origin of Nō

⁵

1870–75; <Japanese, earlier noũ<Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese néng ability

Also called Nogaku .

Compare kabuki.

Other definitions for no. (6 of 7)

no.

abbreviation

north.
northern.

number.

Other definitions for N/O (7 of 7)

N/O

abbreviationBanking.

registered.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use no in a sentence

Or has the see and hear and speak-no-evil stance of the Republican House persuaded him that he is in the clear?
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence | Jason Berry | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
These days, plenty of women are turning to online sites for no-frills male companionship.
Career-Minded Women Turn to Male Escorts For No-Strings Fun and (Maybe) Sex | Aurora Snow | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Riffing off the slogan “Now Everyone Can Fly,” the carrier offered no-frills flights that were both cheap and plentiful.
The Presumed Crash of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 Is Nothing Like MH370 | Lennox Samuels | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
And why would its ostensible spokesperson refuse to answer yes/no questions about them?
How Canadian Oilmen Pinkwash the Keystone Pipeline | Jay Michaelson | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Because Wright was a no-show in criminal court to face the loud music and pot bust he already had an outstanding warrant.
The Navy ‘Hero’ Who Pimped an HIV-Positive Teen | M.L. Nestel | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

My no. 4239 addressed to Maxwell and repeated to you was sent before receiving your telegram under reply.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I | Ian Hamilton
He was a new breed, that parson, a genuwine no-two-alike, come-one-in-a-box kind.
Alec Lloyd, Cowpuncher | Eleanor Gates
A pupil had loaned money to a horse-dealer who lived at no. 715 of a certain street.
Assimilative Memory | Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Papa, can't I go to the zoologerical rooms to see the camomile fight the rhy-no-sir-ee-hoss?
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | Various
On her hand was one large pustulous sore, which resembled that delinated in Plate no. 1.
An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae | Edward Jenner

British Dictionary definitions for no (1 of 9)

no¹

/ (nəʊ) /

sentence substitute

used to express denial, disagreement, refusal, disapproval, disbelief, or acknowledgment of negative statements
used with question intonation to query a previous negative statement, as in disbelief: Alfred isn't dead yet. No?

nounplural noes or nos

an answer or vote of no
(often plural) a person who votes in the negative

the noes have it there is a majority of votes in the negative
not take no for an answer to continue in a course of action despite refusals

Origin of no

Old English nā, from ne not, no + ā ever; see ay 1

Compare yes, aye 2

British Dictionary definitions for no (2 of 9)

no²

/ (nəʊ) /

determiner

not any, not a, or not one: there's no money left; no card in the file
not by a long way; not at all: she's no youngster

(followed by comparative adjectives and adverbs) not: no fewer than forty men; no more quickly than before
no go See go 1 (def. 74)

Origin of no

Old English nā, changed from nān none 1

British Dictionary definitions for no (3 of 9)

no³

the internet domain name for

Norway

British Dictionary definitions for no' (4 of 9)

no'

/ (no, nəʊ) /

adverb

Scot not

British Dictionary definitions for No (5 of 9)

No¹

Noh

/ (nəʊ) /

nounplural No or Noh

the stylized classic drama of Japan, developed in the 15th century or earlier, using music, dancing, chanting, elaborate costumes, and themes from religious stories or myths

Origin of No

⁵

from Japanese nō talent, from Chinese neng

British Dictionary definitions for No (6 of 9)

No²

/ (nəʊ) /

noun

Lake No a lake in South Sudan, where the Bahr el Jebel (White Nile) is joined by the Bahr el Ghazal. Area: about 103 sq km (40 sq miles)

British Dictionary definitions for No (7 of 9)

No³

the chemical symbol for

nobelium

British Dictionary definitions for n.o. (8 of 9)

n.o.

/ cricket /

abbreviation for

not out

British Dictionary definitions for No. (9 of 9)

No.

abbreviation for

north(ern)
Also: no plural Nos or nos number

Origin of No.

⁹

from French numéro

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for No

Other Idioms and Phrases with no

In addition to the idioms beginning with no

no accounting for tastes, there's
no buts
no call for
no can do
nodding acquaintance
no dice
nod off
no doubt
no end
no flies on one
no fool like an old fool, there's
no go
no good
no great shakes
no hard feelings
no holds barred
no ifs or buts
no joke
no kidding
no longer
no love lost
no man is an island
no matter
no matter how you slice it
none of one's business
none of the above
none other than
none the wiser
none the worse for
none too
no news is good news
no offense
no pain, no gain
no picnic
no problem
nose about
nose in
nose in a book, have one's
nose in the air, have one's
nose into
nose out
nose out of joint, have one's
nose to the grindstone, keep one's
no shit
no sir
no skin off one's nose
no smoke without fire, there's
no soap
no sooner said than done
no spring chicken
no stomach for, have
no strings attached
no such thing
no sweat
no telling
no thanks to
no time at all
no time for, have
no time like the present, there's
no two ways about it
no use crying over spilt milk
no use, it's
no way
no wonder

also see:

all talk (and no action)
all work and no play
by no means
close but no cigar
come to an end (to no good)
cut no ice
do any (no) good
feel no pain
hell has no fury
hold no brief for
in no case
in no time
in no uncertain terms
leave no stone unturned
less than (no time)
long time no see
lose (no) time
make no bones about
make no difference
make no mistake
money is no object
none of one's (have no) business
point of no return
pull no punches
rolling stone gathers no moss
shadow of a doubt, no
take no for an answer
there's no telling
to little (no) purpose
to no avail
under any (no) circumstances
up to no good
yes and no

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