doesn't

See also: doesnt

English

Alternative forms

• does n't, do's n't

Etymology

From does +‎ -n't.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdʌzənt/, [ˈdʌzn̩t], (colloquial) /ˈdʌn(t)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdʌzənt/, [ˈdʌzn̩t], /ˈdʌdənt/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈdʌz(ə)nt/
  • (dialectal) IPA^(key): /ˈdʌd(ə)nt/, /ˈdʊ(nə)nt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌzənt, -ʌn, -ʌnt, -ʌdənt

Verb

doesn't

1. Does not (negative auxiliary^[1])
   • 1693, François Rabelais, translated by Peter Anthony Motteux, The Works of Mr. Francis Rabelais..., volume 2, London: Navarre Society Limited, translation of original in French, page 321:

     The Furr'd Law-cats are most terrible and dreadful Monsters, they devour little Children, and trample over Marble-Stones. Pray tell me, Noble Topers, do they not deserve to have their Snouts slit ? The Hair of their Hides do's n't lie outward, but inwards; and every Mother's Son of 'em, for his Devise, wears a gaping Pouch, but not all in the same manner; for some wear it ty'd to their Neck Scarfwise, others upon the Breech, some on the Paunch, others on the Side, and all for a Cause, with Reason and Mystery: They have Claws so very strong, long, and sharp, that nothing can get from 'em, that is once fast between their Clutches: Sometimes they cover their Heads with Mortar-like Caps, at other times with mortify'd Caparisons.

   • 1694, Laurence Echard, Plautus's Comedies, Amphitryon, Epidicus, and Rudens: Made English: With Critical Remarks Upon Each Play., London, page 89:

     Well, I must borrow Epidicus's help, tho' I pay dearly for th' use of 't ; but I shall send him to Bridewel with his Skin stript o're his Ears, if he doesn't procure the hundred Pounds as soon as the last Word's pronounc'd.

   • July 18 2012, Scott Tobias, AV Club The Dark Knight Rises

     Though Bane’s sing-song voice gives his pronouncements a funny lilt, he doesn’t have any of the Joker’s deranged wit, and Nolan isn’t interested in undercutting his seriousness for the sake of a breezier entertainment.

   • 2015 November 30, Shane O'Mara, Why Torture Doesn’t Work: The Neuroscience of Interrogation‎, Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 12:

     Santorum, in a comment regarding Senator John McCain's repudiation of torture, stated, "He doesn't understand how enhanced interrogation works. I mean, you break somebody, and after they've broken they become cooperative" (Summers 2011).

2. (archaic or regional) Dost not
   • 1681, Roger L'Estrange, “The Observator. In Dialogue. Numb. 78. Wednesday, December 7. 1681.”, in The Observator in Dialogue, volume 1, published 1684, page 78:

     But Pre'thee tell me, that Woman had very Considerable Friends. Thou doesn't hear that she has Peacht any body, dost thou?

Synonyms

• don't (nonstandard)

Translations

does not

Chinese: Mandarin: 不 (zh) (bù)

See also

• don't
• dun't

References

1. Zwicky, Arnold M., Pullum, Geoffrey K. (1983) “Cliticization vs. Inflection: English n’t”, in Language‎, volume 59, number 3, pages 502-513

Anagrams

• Donets, Dotens, Ostend, ostend, stoned