■ noun Grammar
1》 a negative statement containing two negative elements (e.g. he didn't say nothing ), regarded as incorrect in standard English.
2》 a positive statement in which two negative elements are used to produce the positive force, e.g. there is not nothing to worry about!
Usage
According to standard English grammar, a ~ used to express a single negative, such as I don't know nothing (rather than I don't know anything ), is incorrect. The rules dictate that the two negative elements cancel each other out to give an affirmative statement, so that I don't know nothing would be interpreted as I know something . This sort of ~ is widespread in dialect and other non-standard usage, and indeed was normal in Old English and Middle English.