[not the thing]{n. phr.} Not the accepted form of action; something socially improper. •/It is simply not the thing to wear blue jeans to the opera./

[not to get to first base]{v. phr.} To fail to make initial progress; have no success at all. •/I tried various ways to make Mary interested in me as a potential husband, but I couldn 't even get to first base./

[not to give one the time of day]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To dislike someone strongly enough so as to totally ignore him. •/Sue wouldn’t give Helen the time of day./

[not to give quarter]{v. phr.} 1. To be utterly unwilling to show mercy; not to allow a weaker or defeated party the chance to save themselves through escape. •/The occupying foreign army gave no quarter — they took no prisoners, shot everyone, and made escape impossible./ 2. To argue so forcefully during a negotiation or in a court of law as to make any counter-argument or counter-proposal impossible. •/The District Attorney hammered away at the witnesses and gave no quarter to the attorney for the defense./

[not to know one from Adam]{v. phr.} To not know a person; be unable to recognize someone. •/I have no idea who that guy is that Jane just walked in with; I don’t know him from Adam./

[not to know the first thing about]{v. phr.} To be totally ignorant about a certain issue. •/Al assured us that he didn’t know the first thing about Mary’s whereabouts./

[not to know what to make of]{v. phr.} To be unable to decipher; be unable to identify; not know how to decide what something really is. •/I got a mysterious letter asking me to meet Santa Claus at 6 P.M. at the supermarket. Is this a joke? I don’t know what to make of it./

[not to know whether one is coming or going]{v. phr.} To be completely confused. •/He was so perplexed he didn’t know whether he was coming or going./ Compare: AT SEA(2).

[not to lift a finger]{v. phr.} To not help in the slightest degree. •/"My husband won’t lift a finger to help me," she complained, "although we have 12 people coming for dinner."/

[not to mention] or [not to speak of] or [to say nothing of] Without ever needing to speak of; in addition to; besides. — Used to add something to what you have said or explained. •/Dave is handsome and smart not to mention being a good athlete./ •/They have three fine sons, not to speak of their two lovely daughters./ •/Sally takes singing and dancing lessons to say nothing of swimming and tennis lessons./ Compare: LET ALONE, TO SPEAK OF.

[not to speak of] See: NOT TO MENTION.

[not to touch (something) with a ten-foot pole]{v. phr.} To consider something completely undesirable or uninteresting. •/Some people won’t touch spinach with a ten-foot pole./ •/Kids who wouldn’t touch an encyclopedia with a ten-foot pole love to find information with this computer program./

[not worth a dime] See: NOT WORTH A TINKER’S DAMN.

[not worth a hill of beans] See: NOT WORTH A TINKER’S DAMN.

[not worth a red cent] See: NOT WORTH A TINKER’S DAMN.

[not worth a tinker’s damn] or not [worth a tinker’s dam] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Not worth anything; valueless. •/As a bricklayer he was not worth a tinker’s damn./ •/I am not familiar with the subject so my opinion would not be worth a tinker’s dam./

[no two ways about it]{n. phr.} No other choice; no alternative. •/The boss said there were no two ways about it; we would all have to work late to finish the job./

[no use]{n.} 1. No purpose; no object; no gain. •/There’s no use in crying about your broken bicycle./ •/Bob said, "Let’s try again." Dick answered, "It’s no use."/ 2. Bad opinion; no respect; no liking. — Usually used after "have". •/He had no use for dogs after a dog bit him./ •/Jimmy had no use for arithmetic because it was hard for him./

[no use crying over spilled milk] or [no use crying over spilt milk] See: CRY OVER SPILLED MILK.

[now] See: EVERY NOW AND THEN or EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, HERE AND NOW, JUST NOW.

[now and then] or [now and again] {adv. phr.} Not often; not regularly; occasionally; sometimes. •/Now and then he goes to a ball game./ •/The maid broke a dish now and then./ Syn.: AT TIMES, FROM TIME TO TIME, ONCE IN A WHILE. Compare: EVERY NOW AND THEN, OFF AND ON.

[nowhere] See: OUT OF NOWHERE.

[nowhere near] See: ANYTHING LIKE.

[now --- now]{coord. adv.} Sometimes… sometimes; by turns; at one time… then at another. — Often used with adjectives that are very different or opposite, especially to show change. •/The weather changed every day; it was now hot, now cool./ •/The band played different songs, now fast, now slow; now soft, now loud./ •/Billy ran so quickly he seemed to be all over the field; he was now here and now there./

[no way]{adv.} Not at all; never; under no circumstances. •/Do you think I will do the house chores alone? No way!/

[no wonder] also [small wonder] {adj.} Not surprising; to be expected. •/It is no wonder that the children love to visit the farm./ •/The Browns didn’t go to the fair. Small wonder — they dislike large noisy crowds./

[now or never]{adv. phr.} Exclusively at the present time. •/Mike said, "Now that Paul has resigned, there is a perfect place for you. It is now or never!"/

[now that]{conj.} Since; because; now. •/Now that dinner is ready, wash your hands./ •/You came early, but now that you’re here, take off your coat./ Syn.: INASMUCH AS.

[nth] See: TO THE NTH DEGREE.

[nuisance] See: PUBLIC NUISANCE.

[nuke]{v.} To fix any meal in a microwave oven. •/When we are in a hurry, we nuke some beef./

[nuke a tater]{v. phr.} 1. To bake a potato in a microwave oven. •/"We have no time for standard baked potatoes in the oven," she said. "We’ll just have to nuke a tater."/

[null and void]{adj.} Not worth anything; no longer valid. •/Both the seller and the buyer agreed to forget about their previous contract and to consider it null and void./

[number] See: A NUMBER, ANY NUMBER, DAYS ARE NUMBERED, GET ONE’S NUMBER, HOT NUMBER, QUITE A FEW or QUITE A NUMBER.

[number among]{v. phr.} Consider as one of; consider to be a part of. •/I number Al among my best friends./

[number one(1)] or [Number One(1)] {n. phr.}, {informal} Yourself; your own interests; your private or selfish advantage. Usually used in the phrase "look out for number one". •/He was well known for his habit of always looking out for number one./

[number one(2)]{adj. phr.} 1. Of first rank or importance; foremost; principal. •/He is easily America’s number one golfer./ 2. Of first grade; of top quality; best. •/That is number one western steer beef./

[nurse] See: VISITING NURSE.

[nurse a drink]{v. phr.}, {informal} To hold a drink in one’s hand at a party, pretending to be drinking it or taking extremely small sips only. •/John’s been nursing that drink all evening./

[nurse a grudge]{v. phr.} To keep a feeling of envy or dislike toward some person; remember something bad that a person said or did to you, and dislike the person because of that. •/Torn nursed a grudge against John because John took his place on the basketball team./ •/Mary nursed a grudge against her teacher because she thought she deserved a better grade in English./