/ nəʊ; NAmE noʊ/ exclamation , determiner , adverb , noun
■ exclamation
1.
used to give a negative reply or statement :
Just say yes or no.
'Are you ready?' 'No, I'm not.'
Sorry, the answer's no.
'Another drink?' 'No, thanks.'
It's about 70—no, I'm wrong—80 kilometres from Rome.
No! Don't touch it! It's hot.
'It was Tony.' 'No, you're wrong. It was Ted.'
'It's not very good, is it?' 'No, you're right, it isn't (= I agree) .'
2.
used to express shock or surprise at what sb has said :
'She's had an accident.' 'Oh, no!'
'I'm leaving!' 'No!'
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IDIOMS
- not take no for an answer
—more at yes exclamation
■ determiner
1.
not one; not any; not a :
No student is to leave the room.
There were no letters this morning.
There's no bread left.
No two days are the same.
—see also no one
2.
used, for example on notices, to say that sth is not allowed :
No smoking!
3.
there's ~ doing sth used to say that it is impossible to do sth :
There's no telling what will happen next.
4.
used to express the opposite of what is mentioned :
She's no fool (= she's intelligent) .
It was no easy matter (= it was difficult) .
■ adverb
used before adjectives and adverbs to mean 'not' :
She's feeling no better this morning.
Reply by no later than 21 July.
■ noun ( pl. noes /nəʊz; NAmE noʊz/)
1.
an answer that shows you do not agree with an idea, a statement, etc.; a person who says 'no' :
Can't you give me a straight yes or no?
When we took a vote there were nine yesses and 3 noes.
I'll put you down as a no.
2.
the noes [ pl. ] the total number of people voting 'no' in a formal debate, for example in a parliament :
The noes have it (= more people have voted against sth than for it) .
OPP ayes
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WORD 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 , from ne not + ān one , of Germanic origin.