Nəʊ English Exclamation Ready Answer's Drink Give I

• just say yes or no.
• ‘are you ready?’ ‘no, i'm not.’
• sorry, the answer's no.
• ‘another drink?’ ‘no, thanks.’

no

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 somebody has said
• ‘She's had an accident.’ ‘Oh no!’
• ‘I'm leaving!’ ‘No!’
3. to refuse to accept that somebody does not want something, will not do something, etc.
• You're coming and I won't take no for an answer!
4. used when you cannot give a clear answer to a question
• ‘Are you enjoying it?’ ‘Yes and no.’

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.