Meaning of not | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Negates the meaning of the modified verb.
   not-comparable
2. No, not.
3. To no degree.
   not-comparable
4. Used to indicate the opposite or near opposite, often in a form of understatement.
   not-comparable
5. Used before a determiner phrase, a pronominal phrase etc. to convey a negative attitude (e.g. denial, sadness, anger) towards something.
   not-comparable
6. 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.
   informal, ironic, not-comparable

Equivalents

Examples

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

“Not knowing any better, I went ahead.”

“It was felt desirable that she not leave school before fourteen.”

“I'd rather MoM (did) not stay, cuz the best thing about a holiday is not working.”

“Not a day passes when I don't regret not having enrolled in medicine.”

“People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got.”

“The sound of Abba singing ‘Dancing Queen’ had started up in a room the other side of the court. Adrian slammed the window shut. ‘That’ll teach you to throw things out of the window,’ said Gary. ‘It’ll teach me not to throw things out of the window.’”

“I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”

“Oh, Pete. This is not the gym. — That’s right, Anna. This is the mailroom.”

“That is not red; it's green.”

“It's not you, it's me.”

“Expectation: Everybody in the family has to love everybody else. Reaction: Not the ghost of Christmas past, present, or future could pull this one off unless feeling is already there.”

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

“It was not my favorite movie of all time. (meaning the speaker dislikes or strongly dislikes the movie)”

“In the not too distant future my view on the matter might be not a million miles away from yours.”

“I wonder if I shouldn't see a doctor - I've been feeling funny the last few days.”

“Oh god, not that! Anything but that!”

“Not another rainy day!”

“Not me writing example sentences again.”

Oh my, there I go writing example sentences again!

“Not me crying by the end of that!! You are a brilliant, beautiful human who deserves no less than the world. Thank you for taking the time to watch unicorn store. It’s a film that means so much to me.”

“[Keke] Palmer tells Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager to “mind y'all's business” when they ask about her relationship with [Darius] Jackson. ¶ “Not y’all trying to get into it! They trying it on the Today show,” Palmer joked when the subject was first brought up on Today With Hoda & Jenna.”

CEFR level