not

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   negation of a word or group of words

   They do not speak French.

2. 2
   adv

   Negates the meaning of the modified verb.

   Did you take out the trash? — No, I did not. I do not think it was my turn, was it?

3. 3
   adv

   To no degree.

   That is not red; it's green.

4. 4
   adv

   Used to indicate the opposite or near opposite, often in a form of understatement.

   That day was not the best day of my life. (meaning the day was bad or awful)

5. 5
   adv

   Used before a determiner phrase, a pronominal phrase etc. to convey a negative attitude (e.g. denial, sadness, anger) towards something.

   Oh god, not that! Anything but that!

6. 6
   adv

   Used before a non-finite clause (especially a gerund-participial clause) or less commonly a determiner phrase to ironically convey some attitude (e.g. surprise, incredulity, amusement, embarrassment) towards something.

   Not me writing example sentences again.

7. 7
   conj

   And not.

   I wanted a plate of shrimp, not a bucket of chicken.

8. 8
   intj

   Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically.

   Near-synonyms: I don't think; psych; bender (obsolete, UK)

Etymology

From Middle English not, nat, variant of noght, naht (“not, nothing”), from Old English *nōht, nāht (“nought, nothing”), short for nōwiht, nāwiht (“nothing”, literally “not anything”), corresponding to ne (“not”) + ōwiht, āwiht (“anything”), corresponding to ā (“ever, always”) + wiht (“thing, creature”). Cognate with Scots nat, naucht (“not”), Saterland Frisian nit (“not”), West Frisian net (“not”), Dutch niet (“not”), German nicht (“not”). Compare nought, naught and aught. More at no, wight, whit.