(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,pluralnoes,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
no can do, Informal. it can't be done.
Origin of no
1
before 900;Middle English;Old Englishnā, equivalent to ne not + ā ever (see ay1)
No
[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).
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.
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
No
2
noun
Lake Noa 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)
No
3
the chemical symbol for
nobelium
no
1
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?
nounpluralnoesornos
an answer or vote of no
(often plural)a person who votes in the negative
the noes have itthere is a majority of votes in the negative
not take no for an answerto continue in a course of action despite refusals
"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.
