Main Entry: ¹no

Pronunciation: \ˈnō\

Function: adverb

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English nā, from ne not + ā always; akin to Old Norse & Old High German ne not, Latin ne-, Greek nē- — more at aye

Date: before 12th century

1 a chiefly Scottish : not b —used as a function word to express the negative of an alternative choice or possibility <shall we go out to dinner or no>
2 : in no respect or degree —used in comparisons <you're no better than the rest of us>
3 : not so —used to express negation, dissent, denial, or refusal <no, I'm not going>
4 —used with a following adjective to imply a meaning expressed by the opposite positive statement <in no uncertain terms>
5 —used as a function word to emphasize a following negative or to introduce a more emphatic, explicit, or comprehensive statement <it's big, no, it's gigantic>
6 —used as an interjection to express surprise, doubt, or incredulity
7 —used in combination with a verb to form a compound adjective <no-bake pie>
8 : in negation <shook his head no>