not

not

W1S1 [nɔt US na:t] adv

[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: nought]

1.) used to make a word, statement, or question negative

▪ Most of the stores do not open until 10am.

▪ She's not a very nice person.

▪ You were wrong not to inform the police.

▪ 'Can we go to the park?' 'No, not today, dear.'

not at all/not ... at all

(=used to emphasize what you are saying)

▪ The changes were not at all surprising.

▪ I do not like his attitude at all.

→↑no¹

→↑n't

2.) used in order to make a word or expression have the opposite meaning

▪ Edinburgh isn't far now.

▪ The food is not very good there.

not a lot/much/many etc

(=only a few, only a little etc)

▪ Not much is known about the disease.

▪ Not many people have read the report.

▪ Most of the hotels are not that cheap (=they are fairly expensive) .

3.) used instead of a whole phrase, to mean the opposite of what has been mentioned before it

▪ No one knows if the story is true or not .

▪ I hope to see you tomorrow, but if not , leave me a message.

▪ 'Is Mark still sick?' 'I hope not .'

→↑so¹ (4)

4.) not only

in addition to being or doing something

not only ... (but) also ...

▪ Shakespeare was not only a writer but also an actor.

not only do/will/can etc

▪ Not only do the nurses want a pay increase, they want reduced hours as well.

5.) not a/not one

not any person or thing

▪ Not one of the students knew the answer.

▪ There wasn't a cloud in the sky.

▪ Not a single person said thank you.

6.) not that ...

used before a sentence or phrase to mean the opposite of what follows it, and to make the previous sentence seem less important

▪ Sarah has a new boyfriend - not that I care (=I do not care) .

▪ Janice had lost some weight, not that it mattered (=it did not matter) .

7.) not at all

spoken especially BrE used to be polite when someone has thanked you or asked you to do something

▪ 'Would you mind helping me with my suitcase?' 'Not at all.'

8.) - not!

spoken used, especially by young people, to say that you really mean the opposite of what you have just said

▪ I really enjoy spending my day working here - not!

→not half at ↑half³ (5), not to say at ↑say¹ (44)

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HINT

Do not use another negative word (no, nothing, nobody, never etc) with not. Use any, anything, anybody, ever etc: I haven't got any (NOT haven't got no) money. |I didn't know anybody (NOT didn't know nobody).

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