not
- particle
- /nɑt/
- You are not allowed to enter without a ticket.
- not only
- not necessarily
- not just
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Watch on YouTubeRight now, and Russia is not a small threat.
- Right now, and Russia is not a small threat.
- And when it ends, there will not be Trump.
- It doesn't feel good, and it's not good for you.
- But it is just like it just did not develop right.
Examples
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The structural trends affecting the U.S. economy cannot be explained by changes in technology alone.
Academic text (2011) -
And so, you know, this is not a bluff.
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And there are things we're not seeing, Right.
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Right now, and Russia is not a small threat.
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And if it's not OK, it's not the end.
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Is there nothing you would not consider a game, sir?
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I told you... I'm not a kid anymore.
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So I'm mad, but I'm not that mad.
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So, in the end, it's not really anyone's fault.
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While soldiers received military pay, most did not live on just their meager army income.
Academic text (2011)
Idioms
- Informal
Used to describe something very different from older versions and much more modern
- Informal
You are in a situation that feels strange and very different from what is usual
To not be able to think clearly because you are very tired, angry, or confused
A slogan saying relationships should be only between a man and a woman, often used to oppose same-sex marriage
- Offensive
A person who is not very quick to understand things
Compounds
- Formal
A court or jury finds someone did not commit the crime they were charged with
- Specialized
A plant with seed pods that burst when you touch them and release seeds
- South African
A plant from southern Africa with bright blue flowers often grown in gardens
A small plant often grown in gardens with tiny blue, purple, or white flowers
- Informal
A joking name for a woman whose real name people avoid saying
Surface Forms
Etymology
Not comes from old English negative words and became a short form of no used inside a sentence to deny or refuse something. So, not means 'no' or 'not this', which is why we use it to make a word or sentence negative.