What does not mean

What does «money is like mush not not» mean?

I’m not sure if it’s off topic or not, so apologies if it’s irrelevant. Can anyone explain the meaning of a specific slang phrase, «money is like mush not not»? I keep seeing it in random places but couldn’t find an explanation for it in almighty Google.

1 Answer 1

This is not standard Anglo English, even of a slang variety. I find it only in posts from SE Asia (Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong) where it appears to be the sort of catchphrase that merchandisers put on t-shirts and knick-knacks. Its full form is

Money is like mush not not good kcept it espread.

A witty blog called Talk Shirty to Me posts a photograph of a storefront with a dress bearing this phrase and explains the phrase as a quote from Francis Bacon, translated into the local (?Malaysian?) version of English: †

Money is like muck — not good except it be spread. —‘Of Seditions and Troubles’

Bacon is speaking of the manure of farm animals, which was in his day regarded as the most effective fertilizer for crops; in his Apothegmes he attributed the thought to his friend, Jeremy Bettenham, Reader at Gray’s Inn:

Mr. Bettenham vsed to say; That Riches were like Mucke: When it lay, vpon an heape, it gaue but a stench, and ill odour; but when it was spread vpon the ground, then it was cause of much fruit.

† _{There is considerable cogency to user hobbs’ comment that I don’t think it was “translated” so much as ”incompetently transcribed“, likely by someone who doesn’t read or write any variety of English; and this is supported by user elmer007’s observation that is like is realized as “islke” on this dress. On the other hand, the Talk Shirty to Me blogger observes that not not may be an intensive reduplication characteristic of some languages. Whatever the process, we seem to be dealing with a ‘magical’ use of English rather than a conventional utterance like the Bacon/Bettenham originals.}

What does «all not» mean exactly in this context?

All DriveTest Centres do not provide car rentals to applicants.

The sentence above is taken from here.

In my understanding, it means some DriveTest Centres may provide car rentals while others may not.

However, judging from the context, I’m more likely to interpret it as: None of the DriveTest Centres provide car rentals.

Which interpretation should be taken here?

2 Answers 2

It means that there are no DriveTest Centres that do provide car rentals to applicants. If you move the negation from the verb to the noun, you get a sentence with the same meaning:

No DriveTest Centres provide car rentals to applicants.

There is no difference in meaning, but the negation applies to another part of the sentence. Sometimes this can lead to different meanings, but not in this case.

Here’s a simpler sentence that might clarify the difference:

Essentially this means the same thing, but there is a difference. In the first sentence, you’re talking about all vegetables. There are a lot of them and they all are not fruit. In the second sentence, you’re talking about no vegetables which will equal to zero. Out of all the vegetables, nothing is fruit.

The reason they chose to negate the verb and not the subject in your sentence is probably because they want to stress that they do not provide instead of stressing the noun.

This is an ambiguous construction in English. In Shakespeare’s time, it would have been unambiguous, and would have meant that some DriveTest Centres provide rental cars, and others do not. Consider

All that glisters is not gold.

From the Merchant of Venice, which means «not everything that glitters is gold.»

However, some time between Shakespeare and now, logicians started telling people that «all crows are not white» means «no crows are white», and today this kind of expression is used both with the traditional meaning (which people never stopped using) and with the logical meaning. Those people who claim that today it always has the logical meaning should consider the lyrics of the theme song of the Wizards of Waverly Place:

Everything is not what it seems!

which means «not everything is what it seems.»

In fact, to see that the traditional meaning is still alive and well, all you need do is google «all crows are not black». You will see that lots of people are using the traditional meaning even in a logical context. For example, on the internet we find:

As William James so cleverly said, and as has been quoted almost ad nauseum ever since, it takes only one white crow to prove that all crows are not black.

What does «if not» mean in the given sentence

Let there be given this sentence (which came from an English-Chinese dictionary):

The contest has become personalised, if not bitter.

Then what does the phrase if not mean?

Seeking after is a general guide or rule of such usage.

7 Answers 7

Try to finish at least 10 chapters from that book, if not all.

This means if all chapters are not possible, try to finish at least 10.

That smell (from a rotten thing) can cause nausea, if not vomiting

This means that that smell is likely to cause vomiting but if it does not, at least it can causes nausea. In other words, that smell is capable at least to cause nausea but it can also go closer to vomiting or in worst cases, it can cause vomiting.

[Part A of sentence,] if not [part B of sentence].

In such cases, the part B is expected or desired but then actually part A is likely to happen.

I’ll pick you at 1900 hr, if not earlier.

This simply means the latest will be 1900 hr. The speaker wants to say that he’ll try to pick the listener earlier but not later than 7 pm.

So, in your sentence, the contest did not turn bitter but at least got personalized.

A later edit (from J.R. and user42307’s input): The sentence may also mean that the contest is on the verge of getting bitter (nausea’s example) or has become bitter.

Unfortunately the phrase is used in two ways, and especially when written it can be difficult to distinguish them. The hypothetical «if» might mean that «bitter» is acknowledged not to be true, or it might just mean that there’s doubt.

So the first meaning is that the contest has not become bitter, although perhaps is close to it. The phrase creates a contrast, and could be replaced with «the contest has become personalised, but not bitter» or «personalised, but not quite bitter».

The second meaning is that the contest probably has become bitter, but that this opinion isn’t certain or might be disputed. Then the phrase is used to make a certain statement followed by the less certain one. It could be written, «the contest has certainly become personalised, and quite possibly bitter».

When spoken, listen for which word is more stressed:

«The contest has become personalised, if not bitter» means it’s not bitter (or probably not).

«The contest has become personalized, if not bitter» means it’s probably bitter (or certainly so in the speaker’s opinion, but they choose not to assert it).

What does not mean

1 mean

mean time сре́днее со́лнечное вре́мя

mean water норма́льный у́ровень воды́; меже́нь

in the mean time тем вре́менем; ме́жду тем

to mean well (ill) име́ть до́брые (дурны́е) наме́рения

he means well by us он жела́ет нам добра́

what did you mean by looking at me like that? в чём де́ло? Почему́ ты на меня́ так посмотре́л?

to mean it be used предназнача́ть (что-л.) для по́льзования

this means trouble э́то предвеща́ет беду́

2 mean

3 mean

4 mean

5 mean

6 mean

about the mean — вокруг среднего значения; относительно среднего

mean with respect to — значение, усреднённое по; среднее по.

7 mean

8 mean

the mean of 3, 5 and 7 is 5 — среднее между 3, 5 и 7 равно 5

accuracy in the mean — средняя точность; точность в среднем

mean solar day — средние солнечные сутки, средняя продолжительность солнечных суток

mean proportional — среднее геометрическое; средняя пропорциональная величина

mean observed range — средняя дальность наблюдения, средняя видимость

mean water — нормальный уровень воды; межень

to feel mean — стыдиться, смущаться, чувствовать себя неловко

to feel mean — быть нездоровым, чувствовать недомогание

I did not mean to offend you, I meant you no offence — я не хотел вас обидеть

without meaning it — не имея этого в виду; не желая того

what do you mean by laughing at me? — в чём дело, почему ты смеёшься надо мной?

what exactly do you mean? — что вы, собственно говоря, имеете в виду?

this is what I mean — вот что я имею в виду, вот что я хочу сказать

he certainly meant what he said — он сказал именно то, что думал; он сказал это всерьёз

I mean it! — я серьёзно говорю!; я не шучу!

I see what you mean — я понимаю, что ты имеешь в виду

I meant this remark for a joke — я сказал это в шутку, я пошутил

the conflict probably means war — этот конфликт может привести к войне, этот конфликт чреват войной

9 mean

асимптотическое значение среднего by all

s конечно, пожалуйста;
by any means каким бы то ни было образом;
by means of. посредством. by all

s конечно, пожалуйста;
by any means каким бы то ни было образом;
by means of. посредством. by no

two ways about it не может быть двух мнений насчет этого;
by no means никоим образом;
конечно, нет conditional

чувствовать себя нездоровым to feel

чувствовать себя неловко geometric

середина;
the golden (или happy) mean золотая середина harmonic

гармоническое среднее harmonical

гармоническое среднее to

mischief предвещать дурное;
to mean well (ill) иметь добрые (дурные) намерения;
he means well by us он желает нам добра

(meant) намереваться;
иметь в виду;
I didn’t mean to offend you я не хотел вас обидеть in the

s нисколько, отнюдь не;
it is by no means cheap это отнюдь не дешево limiting

среднее по большому интервалу long time

среднее по большому интервалу mean бедный

значить, означать, иметь значение

намереваться, иметь в виду

(meant) намереваться;
иметь в виду;
I didn’t mean to offend you я не хотел вас обидеть

низкий, подлый, нечестный

посредственный;
плохой;
слабый;
no mean abilities хорошие способности

предназначать(ся) ;
to mean it be used предназначать (что-л.) для пользования

разг. придирчивый;
недоброжелательный

середина;
the golden (или happy) mean золотая середина

разг. скромный, смущающийся

мат. среднее число

средний;
mean line мат. биссектриса;
mean time среднее солнечное время;
mean water нормальный уровень воды;
межень

pl средства, состояние, богатство;
means of subsistence средства к существованию;
a man of means человек со средствами, состоятельный человек

средства, состояние, богатство

амер. трудный, неподдающийся

предназначать(ся) ;
to mean it be used предназначать (что-л.) для пользования

средний;
mean line мат. биссектриса;
mean time среднее солнечное время;
mean water нормальный уровень воды;
межень to

mischief иметь дурные намерения to

mischief предвещать дурное;
to mean well (ill) иметь добрые (дурные) намерения;
he means well by us он желает нам добра

средний;
mean line мат. биссектриса;
mean time среднее солнечное время;
mean water нормальный уровень воды;
межень time: mean

вчт. среднее время

средний;
mean line мат. биссектриса;
mean time среднее солнечное время;
mean water нормальный уровень воды;
межень to

mischief предвещать дурное;
to mean well (ill) иметь добрые (дурные) намерения;
he means well by us он желает нам добра

pl (употр. как sing и как pl) средство;
способ;
the means of communication средства сообщения means:

of communication средства коммуникации

of communication средства сообщения means of employment средства обеспечения занятости the means of payment эк. платежные средства;
the means and instruments of production орудия и средства производства means:

of payment средства платежа

of payment средства расчетов

pl средства, состояние, богатство;
means of subsistence средства к существованию;
a man of means человек со средствами, состоятельный человек means:

of subsistence средства к существованию means test проверка нуждаемости test: means

проверка нуждаемости means

проверка обеспеченности следствами к существованию means

тест на отсутствие средств к существованию moving

посредственный;
плохой;
слабый;
no mean abilities хорошие способности overall

value математическое ожидание trending

изменяющееся среднее true

стат. взвешенное среднее what do you

by that? почему вы поступаете так?;
what did you mean by looking at me like that? в чем дело? Почему ты на меня так посмотрел? what do you

by that? почему вы поступаете так?;
what did you mean by looking at me like that? в чем дело? Почему ты на меня так посмотрел? what do you

by that? что вы этим хотите сказать?

10 mean

mean free path — свободный пробег частицы, средняя длина свободного пробега

mean solar time — среднее солнечное время, <astr.> время солнечное истинное

mean square deviation — средняя квадратичная ошибка, среднее квадратическое отклонение

11 mean

12 mean

13 mean

14 mean

15 mean

He thrust in some mean and unimportant anecdote. — Ни к селу ни к городу он рассказал пошлый и бездарный анекдот.

mean abilities — посредственные, слабые способности

Mr. Ronnie Scott plays a mean saxophone. — Мистер Ронни Скотт блестяще играет на саксофоне.

to mean business — разг. быть готовым серьёзно, а не на словах взяться за дело

She means to win. — Она собирается выиграть.

I was meant to teach. — Я должен был преподавать.

I didn’t mean you to read the letter. — Я не предполагал, что ты прочтёшь письмо.

The dictionary tries to tell you what words mean. — Словарь пытается показать вам, что значат слова.

16 mean

Don’t be so mean, you can afford to buy us our lunch. — Не мелочись/не скупись, ты вполне можешь заплатить за наш обед.

He is the meanest person I have ever worked for. — Он самый скаредный человек, на которого я когда-либо работал.

It was mean of Jack to tell on his friend. — Джек поступил подло, наябедничав на своего друга.

I’m sure it was mean of you to go and complain of me. — Я уверен, что с твоей стороны было непорядочно пойти и нажаловаться на меня.

It meant nothing to me. — Для меня это ничего не значило.

I mean what I say. — Я имею в виду то, что говорю.

I don’t see what you mean. — Не понимаю, что вы имеете в виду.

You can’t mean it! — Ты это серьезно? /Ты шутишь!

The remark was meant as a joke. — Это замечание не нужно было принимать всерьез.

17 mean

18 mean

19 mean

20 mean

this is what I mean — вот что я имею в виду, вот что я хочу сказать

См. также в других словарях:

Mean — Mean, a. [OE. mene, OF. meiien, F. moyen, fr. L. medianus that is in the middle, fr. medius; akin to E. mid. See .] 1. Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes. [1913 Webster] Being of middle age and a mean… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Mean — «Mean» Sencillo de Taylor Swift del álbum Speak Now Publicación 31 de marzo, 2011 Grabación 2010 Género(s) Country pop Duración 3:58 … Wikipedia Español

mean# — mean adj Mean, ignoble, abject, sordid can all be applied to persons, their behavior, or the conditions in which they live with the meaning so low as to be out of keeping with human dignity or generally acceptable standards of human life or… … New Dictionary of Synonyms

Mean — Mean, n. 1. That which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure. [1913 Webster] But to speak … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Mean — (m[=e]n), a. [Compar. (m[=e]n [ e]r); superl. .] [OE. mene, AS. m[=ae]ne wicked; akin to m[=a]n, a., wicked, n., wickedness, OS. m[=e]n wickedness, OHG. mein, G. meineid perjury, Icel. mein harm, hurt, and perh. to AS.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

mean — 1. In the meaning ‘to intend’, mean can be followed by a to infinitive (when the speaker intends to do something: I meant to go), by an object + to infinitive (when the speaker intends someone else to do something: I meant you to go) and, more… … Modern English usage

Méan — (homonymie) Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. France Méan est une ancienne commune française de la Loire Atlantique, aujourd hui intégrée à Saint Nazaire … Wikipédia en Français

mean — Ⅰ. mean [1] ► VERB (past and past part. meant) 1) intend to express or refer to. 2) (of a word) have as its explanation in the same language or its equivalent in another language. 3) intend to occur or be the case. 4) have as a consequence. 5) … English terms dictionary

Mean — (m[=e]n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. (m[e^]nt); p. pr. & vb. n. .] [OE. menen, AS. m[=ae]nan to recite, tell, intend, wish; akin to OS. m[=e]nian to have in mind, mean, D. meenen, G. meinen, OHG. meinan, Icel. meina, Sw. mena, Dan. mene … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

mean — [adj1] ungenerous close, greedy, mercenary, mingy, miserly, niggard, parsimonious, penny pinching*, penurious, rapacious, scrimpy, selfish, stingy, tight, tight fisted*; concept 334 Ant. generous, kind, unselfish mean [adj2] hostile, rude bad… … New thesaurus

What does «waste not, want not» mean? [closed]

Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic. A list of these references can be found here: List of general references

I would like it to be explained, if it has a single meaning, it’s confusing me, I see it could mean «please don’t waste whatever you don’t want», or just the opposite, i.e. «There is nothing without a waste».

EDIT

The source of confusion are phrases like «no pain no gain» which are inversely arranged, I mean, the negation, «no» is before the Verb, like if «no Verb» were equal to «Verb not»

2 Answers 2

Want in this proverb = need or lack.

So, the meaning is that if you don’t waste X, you can avoid lacking or needing X. It is advising against waste because you might want it in the future.

It was allegedly first recorded in 1772 but had an earlier willful waste makes woeful want version recorded in 1576.

«Waste not, want not» is an idiom that has a specific meaning, but it is neither of the two meanings you suggested.

What it does mean, basically, is that if you do not waste that which you have (waste not), you will not later want that which you have wasted (want not).

The saying is meant to encourage those who waste resources not to do so, so that later when they look for resources, they will still have the unwasted resources at their disposal.

Edit: The confusion from the phrase «No pain, no gain» stems from the idea that the phrase «no pain, no gain» is negating both pain and gain. It is not. Both phrases mean that a lack of one thing leads to a lack of another. «No pain», as in if you do not suffer pain, «No gain» you will not gain anything. «Waste not» if you do not waste anything, «want not» you will not want anything.

The possible source for this confusion is the fact that the second half of the phrase, ‘want not’, implies having that which you need. But the phrase is «want not», meaning a lack of want (or need) for anything.