cannot

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Pronunciation

• (British) IPA: /ˈkænɒt/, /kæˈnɒt/
• (America) IPA: /ˈkæ(n.)nɑt/, /ˈkɛ(n.)nɑt/, /kə(n)ˈnɑt/, /kɪ(n)ˈnɑt/
• (Canada) IPA: /kəˈnɑt/

Verb

1. can#Verb|Can not (be unable to).

   I cannot open the window. It is stuck.

2. Be forbidden or not permitted to
   • 1668 December 19, James Dalrymple, “Mr. Alexander Seaton contra Menzies” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), page 575 ↗

     The Pupil after his Pupillarity, had granted a Diſcharge to one of the Co-tutors, which did extinguiſh the whole Debt of that Co-tutor, and conſequently of all the reſt, they being all correi debendi, lyable by one individual Obligation, which cannot be Diſcharged as to one, and ſtand as to all the reſt.

   You cannot enter the hall without a ticket.

Synonyms

• can't

Translations

• French: ne pas pouvoir
• German: nicht können
• Italian: non potere
• Portuguese: não pode
• Russian: не мо́чь
• Spanish: no poder

Noun

cannot (plural cannots)

1. Something that cannot be done.

   the cans and cannots

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