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not

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adverb British English pronunciation: not /nɒt/
  1. 1
    used for making negatives
    1. a.
      used for making a sentence, expression, or word negative

      He would not listen to anything she said.

      Barbara’s not coming to the party.

      I don’t feel sorry for her.

      Do not forget your promise.

      They told me not to worry.

      Not all children have the opportunity for pre-school education.

      not even:

      The teacher could not even remember my name.

      The oven’s not even warm yet.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  notThesaurus entry for this meaning of not
    2. b.
      used instead of repeating something in the negative
      or not:

      Are you coming with me or not?

      if not:

      I’ll probably see you on Sunday; if not, it’ll be Monday.

      hope/suppose/think etc not:

      ‘Is it going to be very expensive?’ ‘I hope not.’

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  notThesaurus entry for this meaning of not
  2. 2
    used for showing that you mean the opposite of the word or phrase that follows

    It’s not much fun living with a drug addict.

    I was astonished and not a little shocked by what she said.

    Not surprisingly, Greg forgot to bring the key.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  notThesaurus entry for this meaning of not
  3. 3
    used for asking questions spoken
    1. a.
      used for forming a question when you expect the answer to be ‘yes’

      Did you not get my letter?

      Isn’t it a beautiful day?

      That was easy, wasn’t it?

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  notThesaurus entry for this meaning of not
    2. b.
      used for forming questions that show you think someone should have done something

      Shouldn’t you have brought the washing in out of the rain?

      Did I not tell you to be ready by ten o’clock?

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  notThesaurus entry for this meaning of not
  4. 4
    used before a distance, length of time, amount etc to say that something is less than that amount

    We got there not five minutes before Fran arrived.

    He was not three miles from home when his car broke down.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  notThesaurus entry for this meaning of not

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See also

This is the British English definition of not. View American English definition of not.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

 

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