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not - What does it mean?

Definition of 'not'

English

(wikipedia)

Adverb

(-)
  • Negates the meaning of the modified verb.
  • * 1973 , .
    • Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got.
    Did you take out the trash? No, I did not .
    Not knowing any better, I went ahead.
  • To no degree
    • That is not red; it's orange.

    Usage notes

    In modern usage, the form do not ...'' (or ''don’t ...'') is preferred to ''... not'' for all but a short list of verbs (is/am/are/was/were, have/has/had, can/could, shall/should, will/would, may/might, need): * They do not''' sow.'' (modern) vs. ''They sow '''not . (KJB) American usage tends to prefer don’t have'' or ''haven’t got'' to ''have not'' or ''haven’t'', except when ''have'' is used as an auxiliary (or in the idiom ''have-not ): * I don’t have a clue'' or ''I haven’t got a clue. (US) * I haven’t a clue'' or ''I haven't got a clue. (outside US) * I haven’t been to Spain. (universal) The verb need is only directly negated when used as an auxiliary, and even this usage is rare in the US. * You don’t need to trouble yourself. (US) * You needn’t trouble yourself. (outside US) * I don’t need any eggs today. (universal) The verb dare can sometimes be directly negated. * I daren't do that.

    Related terms

    * ain't * aren't * can't * cannot * daren't * doesn't * don't * didn't * forget-me-not (rel-mid3) * hadn't * hasn't * have-not * haven't * isn't * mightn't * needn't * neither * no * nor (rel-mid3) * not bad * not guilty * not quite * not think * notwithstanding * shan't * shouldn't * wasn't * won't * wouldn't (rel-bottom)

    Conjunction

    (en-con)
  • And .
    • I wanted a plate of shrimp, not a bucket of chicken.
    He painted the car blue and black, not solid purple.

    Usage notes

    * The construction “A, not B” is synonymous with the constructions “A, and not B”; “not B, but A”; and “not B, but rather A”.

    Interjection

    not!
  • Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically.
    • I really like hanging out with my little brother watching ''Barney''... not !
    Sure, you're perfect the way you are... not !

    Synonyms

    * I don't think

    See also

    *

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • Unary logical function NOT, true if input is false, or a gate implementing that negation function.
    • You need a not there to conform with the negative logic of the memory chip.

    Related terms

    * NOR

    See also

    * AND * OR * NAND * XOR

    See also

    (top2) * if * then * else * and (mid2) * or * true * false (bottom)

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * 100 English basic words 1000 English basic words English degree adverbs English terms with homophones ----

    Similar to 'not'

    nit, nut, net, nait, nowt, newt, neat, nyet, nat, noot, nett, neet, naat, nott, neut