Etimology
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. Alternatively, from Middle English ne (“not”) or none + oughte (“ought, should”), with the latter reinforcing the former.
adverb
not (not comparable)
Negates the meaning of the modified verb.
To no degree.
(litotes) Used to indicate the opposite or near opposite, often in a form of understatement.
Examples
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. Audio
Audio
Did you take out the trash? No, I did not.
Not knowing any better, I went ahead.
That is not red; it's green.
It's not you, it's me.
That day was not the best day of my life.
It was not my favorite movie of all time.
In the not too distant future my view on the matter might be not a million miles away from yours.
Related words
related terms
ain't
aren't
can't
cannot
daren't
doesn't
don't
didn't
forget-me-not
hadn't
hasn't
have-not
haven't
isn't
mightn't
needn't
neither
no
nor
not bad
not guilty
not quite
not think
notwithstanding
shan't
shouldn't
wasn't
won't
wouldn't
conjunction
not
And not.
Examples
I wanted a plate of shrimp, not a bucket of chicken.
He painted the car blue and black, not solid purple.
interjection
not!
(slang) Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically. [chiefly 1990s]
Examples
I really like hanging out with my little brother watching Barney … not!
Sure, you’re perfect the way you are … not!
You've got a swell chance to make this [baseball] team, you have, not! Third base is my job, Freshie. Why, you tow-head, you couldn't play marbles. You butter-finger, can't you stop anything?
"See?" "Uh-huh! Clear and lucid to the point of limpidity - 'not."
Because, of course, sympathy is finite -- and if you use it up on the wrong person then you won't have any left. Not.
Related words
synonyms
bender, I don't think
noun
not (plural nots)
Alternative letter-case form of NOT