not
(used to express negation, denial, refusal, or prohibition): You must not do that. It's not far from here.
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!
Idioms about not
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.
Origin of not
1Words that may be confused with not
- knot, not
Words Nearby not
Other definitions for NOT (2 of 3)
a Boolean operator that returns a positive result if its operand is negative and a negative result if its operand is positive.
Other definitions for not- (3 of 3)
variant of noto- before a vowel.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use not in a sentence
“Gently rolling hills” roll not-so-gently under my tires, but the English countryside scenery is soporific.
It was promoted on what might be called not-quite-mainstream or, indeed, axe-to-grind media.
Dutch Biker Gangs Vs. ISIS | Nadette De Visser, Christopher Dickey | December 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn the not-too-distant future, the AMRAAM might also be out-ranged by new weapons that are being developed around the world.
Pentagon Worries That Russia Can Now Outshoot U.S. Stealth Jets | Dave Majumdar | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAn autopsy found highly toxic cyanide levels in the blood of the not-so-dearly departed.
And with each false alarm, the not-so-subtle panic continues, as Europe waits and wonders what happens next.
Such throats are trying, are they not?In case one catches cold; Ah, yes!
Consequently, while the direction of the what-not-how-now line is definitely fixed, their actual positions remain unestablished.
We should in this case expect not-white rather than white, and so much rather, that we would lay two to one upon it.
A System of Logic: Ratiocinative and Inductive | John Stuart MillIf 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?
A System of Logic: Ratiocinative and Inductive | John Stuart MillHer silk parasol, of the blue of a forget-me-not, rested against her knee, and at her breast was a cream-tinted rose.
The Rake's Progress | Marjorie Bowen
British Dictionary definitions for not (1 of 2)
/ (nɒt) /
used to negate the sentence, phrase, or word that it modifies: I will not stand for it
(in combination): they cannot go
not that (conjunction) which is not to say or suppose that: I expect to lose the game — not that I mind Also (archaic): not but what
used to indicate denial, negation, or refusal: certainly not
Origin of not
1British Dictionary definitions for not- (2 of 2)
a variant of noto-
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with not
In addition to the idioms beginning with not
- not a bad sort
- not a bit
- not able
- not about to
- not a Chinaman's chance
- not a hope in hell
- not a leg to stand on
- not a living soul
- not all it's cracked up to be
- not all that
- not all there
- not anything like
- not at all
- not bad
- not bat an eye
- not be caught dead
- not born yesterday
- not breathe a word
- not built that way
- not by a long shot
- not by any means
- not cricket
- not done
- not enough room to swing a cat
- not feel oneself
- not for all the tea in China
- not for a moment
- not for love or money
- not give a damn
- not give someone the time of day
- not half bad
- not have a bean
- not have a clue
- not have an earthly chance
- not have anything on
- not have it
- not have one's heart in it
- not have the heart to
- not having any
- not hurt a fly
- not if one can help it
- not if you paid me
- not in the least
- not know beans
- not know enough to come in out of the rain
- not know someone from Adam
- not know where to turn
- not know whether one is coming or going
- not let the grass grow under one's feet
- not lift a finger
- not miss a trick
- not move a muscle
- not my cup of tea
- not one iota
- not one's day, this is
- not oneself
- not on your life
- not open one's mouth
- not put something past someone
- not right in the head
- not see beyond one's nose
- not suffer fools gladly
- not take no for answer
- not the half of it
- not the only fish in the sea
- not think much of
- not to be sneezed at
- not to mention
- not touch with a ten-foot pole
- not to worry
- not turn a hair
- not up to
- not worth a damn
also see:
- 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
For verbal phrases also see undercan'tcouldn'twouldn't.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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