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cannot
[ kan-ot, ka-not, kuh- ]
verb
- a form of can not.
cannot
/ kæˈnɒt; ˈkænɒt /
verb
- an auxiliary verb expressing incapacity, inability, withholding permission, etc; can not
Spelling Note
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of cannot1
Idioms and Phrases
- cannot but, have no alternative but to:
We cannot but choose otherwise.
More idioms and phrases containing cannot
see under can't .Compare Meanings
How does cannot compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
If government cannot protect us against such a disastrous future, any talk of efficiency is just a distraction at best.
That means they cannot be arrested and deported by the government without an opportunity to appeal to a judge.
The boy, who cannot be named due to his age, spoke only to confirm his name and address during a short hearing at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Saturday.
Benn has also defended his actions, saying the British government cannot meet the full funding shortfall but will consider a contribution.
Willow is now five and Bryony said she cannot imagine life without the baby she did not know she was having.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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