not

1 of 2

adverb

ˈnät 

1

—used as a function word to make negative a group of words or a word

2

—used as a function word to stand for the negative of a preceding group of words

is sometimes hard to see and sometimes not

NOT

2 of 2

noun

ˈnät 

: a logical operator (see operator sense 3a) that produces a statement that is the inverse (see inverse entry 2 sense 3a) of an input statement

Examples of not in a Sentence

Adverb

He was standing not six feet away from me.

The bullet passed not five inches from my head!

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, alteration of nought, from nought, pronoun — more at naught

Noun

not

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1947, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing not

• absolutely not
• afraid not
• (and) not before time (too)
• as like as not
• as often as not
• believe it or not
• be not a patch on
• certainly not
• children should be seen and not heard
• definitely not
• do not mix
• fear not
• forget-me-not
• have-not
• hope not
• if it had not been for
• if it were not for
• if not
• if not for
• I kid you not
• in the not too distant future
• is it not the case
• I think not
• it is not every day
• it is not for lack/want of trying
• last but not least
• like as not
• more often than not
• must not
• never/not dream of
• never/not hear the end of it
• never/not in a thousand/million/billion years
• never/not miss a trick
• none/not too thrilled
• no/not later than
• no/not more than
• not a bad thing
• not a bit of it
• not a blind bit
• not a dry eye in the house
• not all there
• not a moment too soon
• not amount to much
• not any good
• not any longer
• not a/one bit
• not a penny less/more
• not a pretty sight
• not a problem
• not a sausage
• not at all
• not bad
• not badly
• not bat an eye/eyelash
• not bat an eyelid
• not believe
• not blame
• not bloody likely!
• not by a long chalk
• not by a long shot
• not by any manner of means
• not by any means
• not called for
• not care/give a fig
• not come/go amiss
• not cost a dime/nickel
• not cost a penny
• not cricket
• not dissimilar
• not do
• not do much for
• not especially
• not (even) blink
• not exactly
• not fool about
• not fool around
• not for all the tea in China
• not for a/one minute
• not for a/one moment
• not-for-profit
• not for (someone) to (do something)
• not for the faint of heart
• not for the squeamish
• not for want of
• not get a wink of sleep
• not getting any younger
• not give a monkey's
• not give a toss
• not give (someone) the time of day
• not half
• not half bad
• not have a care in the world
• not have a hair out of place
• not have a leg to stand on
• not have any use for
• not have a stitch on
• not have it in one
• not have the faintest idea/notion
• not have the faintest/slightest idea
• not have the foggiest
• not have to
• not have to be that way
• not hear of
• nothing if not
• not in any/a hurry
• not inconsiderable
• not infrequent
• not infrequently
• not in one's right mind
• not in someone's vocabulary
• not (in) the least
• not (in) the least/smallest/slightest/tiniest bit
• not in the same league
• not in the slightest
• not just
• not just a/another pretty face
• not just/only/merely
• not know beans about
• not know one's own strength
• not know someone from Adam
• not know the first thing about
• not know what the world is coming to
• not know where someone gets off
• not know whether to laugh or cry
• not least
• not likely
• not like that
• not like the look of
• not like the sound of (something)
• not long ago
• not long for
• not long for this world
• not look a day over
• not make any difference
• not make head or/nor tail of
• not make heads or/nor tails (out) of
• not making much sense
• not many
• not mean a damn
• not merely
• not mince (one's) words
• not much
• not much call for
• not much cop
• not much good
• not much good at
• not much of a
• not much on
• not much to look at
• not nearly
• not necessarily
• not on
• not on any account
• not one person
• not one red cent
• not on your life
• not particularly
• not pay any attention to
• not pay (someone) any mind
• not really
• not right in the head
• not rightly
• not say/breathe a word
• not see the forest for the trees
• not see the wood for the trees
• not see why not
• not sit with
• not sleep a wink
• not so fast
• not so long ago
• not someone's concern
• not someone's problem
• not someone's scene
• not someone's style
• not someone's type
• not so much (something) as (something else)
• not speak a word
• not speak a word of
• not swear to it
• not take any chances
• not take no for an answer
• not that
• not that I mind
• not that it matters
• not that one knows of
• not the end of the world
• not the faintest interest
• not the only fish in the sea
• not the type
• not think anything of
• not think much of
• not to be missed
• not to be sniffed at
• not to mention
• not (too) shabby
• not to put too fine a point on it
• not to say
• not touch a drop
• not touch (someone or something) with a bargepole
• not touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole
• not to worry
• not turn a hair
• not under any circumstances/under no circumstances
• not under any obligation
• not unless
• not unlike
• not until
• not up to expectations
• not up to much
• not utter a word
• not wearing a stitch (of clothes/clothing)
• not worry oneself
• not worth a damn
• not worth a darn
• not worth the candle
• not worth the paper it's written/printed on
• of course not
• one's heart is (just) not in something
• that's not saying much
• that's not to say
• time is not on someone's side
• touch-me-not
• used not to
• waste not, want not
• whether or not
• wittingly or not

Rhymes for not

• aught
• baht
• blot
• bott
• bought
• brought
• caught
• clot
• cot
• cott
• dot
• fought

Kids Definition

not

adverb

(ˈ)nät 

1

—used to make a word or group of words negative

the books are not here

2

—used to stand for the negative of a group of words that comes before

is sometimes hard to see and sometimes not