Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
You use ~ before an amount, number, or position to emphasize that it is no more, no less, or no different from what you are stating.
Each corner had a guard tower, each of which was ~ ten meters in height...
Agnew’s car pulled into the driveway at ~ five o’clock...
= precisely
ADV: usu ADV num, also ADV prep/adv emphasis
2.
If you say ‘Exactly’, you are agreeing with someone or emphasizing the truth of what they say. If you say ‘Not ~’, you are telling them politely that they are wrong in part of what they are saying.
Eve nodded, almost approvingly. ‘Exactly.’...
‘And you refused?’—’Well, not ~. I couldn’t say yes.’
= precisely
ADV: ADV as reply
3.
You use not ~ to indicate that a meaning or situation is slightly different from what people think or expect.
He’s not ~ homeless, he just hangs out in this park.
ADV: not ADV, usu ADV group vagueness
4.
You can use not ~ to show that you mean the opposite of what you are saying.
This was not ~ what I wanted to hear...
Sailing is not ~ cheap.
ADV: not ADV, usu ADV group emphasis
5.
You use ~ with a question to show that you disapprove of what the person you are talking to is doing or saying.
What ~ do you mean?...
= precisely
ADV: ADV with quest disapproval
6.
see also exact