no

[ noh ]

/ noʊ /

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.

RELATED WORDS

negative, nix, nay, never, not

Nearby words

nmsqt, nmss, nne, nnp, nnw, no, no accounting for tastes, there's, no ball, no bill, no buts, no call for

Idioms

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

Origin of no

before 900; Middle English; Old English nā, equivalent to ne not + ā ever (see ay¹)

Definition for noes (2 of 2)

Noe

[ noh-uh ]

/ ˈnoʊ ə /

noun Douay Bible.

Noah(def 1).

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for noes

By a slender majority, most Tories voted with the “Noes”—but there was no big interparty rebellion.
British Conservatives: Out and Proud|Peter Jukes|February 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The question was called for, and Mr. Lawrence required the ayes and noes.
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. I (of 16)|Thomas Hart Benton
On the passage of this ordinance, the yeas were 208, and the noes, 89.
Robert Toombs|Pleasant A. Stovall
The ayes and noes being called for, he conceived it his duty to state his reasons for his vote.
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. I (of 16)|Thomas Hart Benton

The question was then put for tacking the two bills, and carried, ayes 41, noes 36.
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. II (of 16)|Thomas Hart Benton
I therefore ask the indulgence of the Senate, that the ayes and noes may be taken when this question is decided.
Abridgement of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856 (4 of 16 vol.)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for noes (1 of 6)

No

Noh

/ (nəʊ) /

noun plural 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

Word Origin for No

from Japanese nō talent, from Chinese neng

British Dictionary definitions for noes (2 of 6)

No

/ (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 noes (3 of 6)

No

the chemical symbol for

nobelium

British Dictionary definitions for noes (4 of 6)

no

/ (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 disbeliefAlfred isn't dead yet. No?

noun plural 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

Compare yes, aye 2

Word Origin for no

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

British Dictionary definitions for noes (5 of 6)

no

/ (nəʊ) /

determiner

not any, not a, or not onethere's no money left; no card in the file

not by a long way; not at allshe's no youngster

(followed by comparative adjectives and adverbs) notno fewer than forty men; no more quickly than before

no go See go 1 (def. 74)

Word Origin for no

Old English nā, changed from nān none 1

British Dictionary definitions for noes (6 of 6)

no

the internet domain name for

Norway

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

Word Origin and History for noes

no

"negative reply," early 13c., from Old English na (adv.) "no, never, not at all," from ne "not, no" + a "ever." First element from Proto-Germanic *ne (cf. Old Norse, Old Frisian, Old High German ne, Gothic ni "not"), from PIE root *ne "no, not" (see un-). Second element from PIE *aiw- "vital force, life, long life, eternity" (see aye (2)).

As an adjective meaning "not any" (c.1200) it is reduced from Old English nan (see none), the final -n omitted first before consonants and then altogether. As a noun from c.1300. Phrase no can do "it is not possible" is attested from 1827, a locution of English-speaking Chinese noted 19c. in China, Australia and West Coast of U.S.

We repeated our advice again and again, but got no answer but a loud horse-laugh, and their national maxim of No can do: Europe fashion no do in China. ["Reminiscences of a Voyage to and from China," in "Paxton's Horticultural Register," London, 1836]

Construction no X, no Y attested from 1530s (in no peny no pardon). No problem as an interjection of assurance first attested 1963. No way as an expression meaning "it can't be done" is attested by 1968.

Medicine definitions for noes

No

The symbol for the elementnobelium

Science definitions for noes

No

The symbol for nobelium.

Idioms and Phrases with noes

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