no

 
Pronunciation: /nəʊ/

determiner

  • not any: there is no excuse no two plants are alike
  • used to indicate that something is quite the opposite of what is being specified: it was no easy task persuading her Toby is no fool
  • hardly any: you’ll be back in no time
  • used in notices or slogans forbidding or rejecting something specified: No Smoking signs no nukes

exclamation

  • used to give a negative response: ‘Is anything wrong?’ ‘No.’
  • expressing disagreement or contradiction: ‘This is boring.’ ‘No, it’s not!’
  • expressing agreement with or affirmation of a negative statement: they would never cause a fuss, oh no
  • expressing shock or disappointment: oh no, look at this!

adverb

  • 1 [with comparative] not at all; to no extent: they were no more able to perform the task than I was
  • 2Scottish not: I’ll no be a minute

noun (plural noes)

  • a negative answer or decision, especially in voting: he was unable to change his automatic yes to a no

Phrases

no can do

informal I am unable to do it.

the noes have it

the negative votes are in the majority.

no less

see less.

no longer

not now as formerly: they no longer live here

no man

no person; no one.

no more

see more.

no place

North American nowhere.

no sooner —— than

see soon.

no through road

an indication that passage along a street is blocked or prohibited.

not take no for an answer

persist in spite of refusals.

no two ways about it

used to convey that there can be no doubt about something: there’s no two ways about it, it’s marked us for life

no way

informal under no circumstances; not at all: You think she’s alone? No way

no worries

informal, chiefly Australian all right; fine.

or no

or not: she’d have ridden there, winter or no
(—— or no ——) regardless of the specified thing: recession or no recession there is always going to be a shortage of good people

Origin:

Old English nō, nā (adverb), from ne 'not' + ō, ā 'ever'. The determiner arose in Middle English (originally before words beginning with any consonant except h-), reduced from non, from Old English nān (see none1)