Meanings
- colloquialcontractiondatednot
The only reply is that we did n't. That is the irrefragable fact. We did n't.
1913 August, Jack London, chapter XIX, in John Barleycorn, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC, page 1862 more examples
Do n’t tell me you ‘have n’t got time,’ / That other things claim your attention; / There ’s not the least reason or rhyme / In the wisest excuse you can mention: / Do n’t tell me about ‘other fish,’ / Your duty is done when you buy ’em; / And you never will relish the dish, / Unless you ’ve a woman to ‘fry ’em.’
1845 March, “Editor’s Table”, in The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, volume XXV, New York, N.Y.: […] John Allen, […], page 267, columns 1–2Will n't ye gie us a bit o' time ?—Will n't ye consent to mak' your changes rather more slowly?
1849, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], “Noah and Moses”, in Shirley. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 196
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Germanic*ne
- Proto-West Germanic*ne
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂ey-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂óyu
- Proto-Germanic*aiwaz
- Proto-West Germanic*aiw
- Proto-West Germanic*naiw
- Proto-Indo-European*wekʷ-
- Proto-Indo-European*wékʷtisder.?
- Proto-Indo-European*weǵʰ-
- Proto-Indo-European*wéǵʰtisder.?
- Proto-Germanic*wihtą
- Proto-West Germanic*wiht
- Proto-West Germanic*naiwwiht
- Old Englishnāwiht
- Old English*nōht
- Middle Englishnought
- Middle Englishnot
- Englishnot
- Englishn't
Contraction of not.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
n't. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/n't
“n't.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/n't. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “n't,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/n't.
Source: n't on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.