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No way

English translation: certainly not

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:No way
Selected answer:certainly not
Entered by: Michael Powers (PhD)

13:20 Jun 27, 2004
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics
English term or phrase: No way
I would be thankful if nataive speakers could enlighten me about various meanings and usages of this phrase. For example, here is a question , " Have you ever been there?" and the answer,"No way". Here it perhaps means "never". Please elucidate the usage of this phrase in various context. I am bothering you because my dictionary does not have much details about the same.

Thanks
Patheja
certainly not
Explanation:
American Heritage - 2000

no·way ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nw)
adv. Informal also no·ways (-wz)
In no way or degree; nowise.

interj. also no way
Used to express emphatic negation.

Mike :)
Selected response from:

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 02:43
Grading comment
Thanks to both of you for your informative answers.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +24certainly not
Michael Powers (PhD)
5 +14also : I can't believe it!
NancyLynn
5 +4I wouldn't be caught dead there! / doing that!
Sol


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +24
no way
certainly not


Explanation:
American Heritage - 2000

no·way ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nw)
adv. Informal also no·ways (-wz)
In no way or degree; nowise.

interj. also no way
Used to express emphatic negation.

Mike :)

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 02:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 136
Grading comment
Thanks to both of you for your informative answers.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Craft.Content
4 mins
  -> Thank you, Sanjay - Mike :)
agree  NancyLynn
40 mins
  -> Thank you, NancyLynn - Mike :)
agree  Orla Ryan
46 mins
  -> Thank you, Orla - Mike :)
agree  Syeda Tanbira Zaman
54 mins
  -> Thank you, Syeda - Mike :)
agree  Penelope Ausejo: No way Jose!
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, pepis - Mike :)
agree  Nancy Arrowsmith: It's short for there is no way that can be....true, believable, etc.
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Nancy - Mike :)
agree  sergey (X)
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, sergey - Mike :)
agree  DGK T-I
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Dr. Guili - Mike :)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Vicky - Mike :)
agree  Elena Petelos
4 hrs
  -> Thank you, Elena - Mike :)
agree  mportal
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, mportal - Mike :)
agree  humbird: Yes, it's emphatic negation.
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Susan - quite emphatic indeed - Mike :)
agree  Sol
12 hrs
  -> Thank you, Sol - Mike :)
agree  awilliams
12 hrs
  -> Thank you, Amy - Mike :)
agree  Eva Karpouzi
13 hrs
  -> Thank you, Eva - Mike :)
agree  Will Matter
16 hrs
  -> Thank you, willmatter - Mike :)
agree  Jacqueline van der Spek
16 hrs
  -> Thank you, Jacqueline - Mike :)
agree  sassa
17 hrs
  -> Thank you, Sassa - Mike :)
agree  mrrobkoc
18 hrs
  -> Thank you, beeboy - Mike :)
agree  senin
19 hrs
  -> Thank you, senin - Mike :)
agree  David Moore (X)
20 hrs
  -> Thank you, David - Mike :)
agree  Sophie Raimondo
1 day 9 hrs
  -> Thank you, Sophieanne - Mike :)
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
4 days
agree  1982Hilary
4 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +14
no way
also : I can't believe it!


Explanation:
Micheal is right: no way, is first, not at all : "There is no way (sometimes: no way in hell) I will do this."

But it can be used thusly:
"The Rolling Stones have a concert date in our town!"
"No way! How much are the tickets??"

It's used the same way people say "Get out" ou "Get out of town" when they hear something they can't believe.
"Janet's pregnant."
"No way! I thought they had given up, after eight years."

NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 02:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 26

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Catherine Bolton: Right! Used instead of "you're kidding!?!" and similar expressions.
10 mins
agree  Penelope Ausejo: and yes.. also with this meaning... quite often too :) Cheers Nancy!
1 hr
agree  sergey (X)
2 hrs
agree  DGK T-I
3 hrs
agree  humbird: This is also emphatic negation, so much so that it's almost exclamation.
6 hrs
agree  Sol
11 hrs
agree  awilliams
11 hrs
agree  Eva Karpouzi
12 hrs
agree  kellyn (X): Reference: the movie Wayne's World. comment: no way! reply: way!
12 hrs
agree  Will Matter: also true
15 hrs
agree  mrrobkoc
17 hrs
agree  senin
18 hrs
agree  Sophie Raimondo
1 day 8 hrs
agree  Michael Powers (PhD)
1 day 12 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
no way
I wouldn't be caught dead there! / doing that!


Explanation:
Another meaning (sort of).

Sol
United States
Local time: 02:43
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  awilliams
10 mins
agree  Will Matter: another example: this KudoZ qyestion will never be repeated. No way!
4 hrs
agree  mrrobkoc
6 hrs
agree  1982Hilary
4 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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