ni|trate /na I tre I t/ (nitrates ) N‑VAR Nitrate is a chemical compound that includes nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrates are used as fertilizers in agriculture. □ High levels of nitrate occur in eastern England because of the heavy use of fertilizers.
ni|tric /na I tr I k/ ADJ [ADJ n] Nitric means relating to or containing nitrogen. □ …nitric oxide.
ni |tric a cid N‑UNCOUNT Nitric acid is a strong colourless acid containing nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen.
nitro- /na I troʊ-/ COMB Nitro- combines with nouns to form other nouns referring to things which contain nitrogen and oxygen. □ …highly corrosive substances such as nitro-phosphates.
ni|tro|gen /na I trədʒən/ N‑UNCOUNT Nitrogen is a colourless element that has no smell and is usually found as a gas. It forms about 78% of the earth's atmosphere, and is found in all living things.
ni|tro|glyc|er|in /na I troʊgl I sər I n/ also nitroglycerine N‑UNCOUNT Nitroglycerin is a liquid that is used to make explosives and also in some medicines.
ni|trous /na I trəs/ ADJ [ADJ n] Nitrous means coming from, relating to, or containing nitrogen. □ …nitrous oxides.
nitty-gritty /n I ti gr I ti/ also nitty gritty N‑SING If people get down to the nitty-gritty of a matter, situation, or activity, they discuss the most important, basic parts of it or facts about it. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the nitty gritty of everyday politics.
nit|wit /n I tw I t/ (nitwits ) N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a nitwit , you think they are stupid or silly. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ You great nitwit!
no ◆◆◆ /noʊ / (noes or no's )
1 CONVENTION You use no to give a negative response to a question. □ 'Any problems?'—'No, I'm O.K.' □ 'Haven't you got your driver's licence?'—'No.'
2 CONVENTION You use no to say that something that someone has just said is not true. □ 'We thought you'd emigrated.'—'No, no.' □ 'You're getting worse than me.'—'No I'm not.'
3 CONVENTION You use no to refuse an offer or a request, or to refuse permission. □ 'Here, have mine.'—'No, this is fine.' □ 'Can you just get the message through to Pete for me?'—'No, no I can't.' □ After all, the worst the boss can do is say no if you ask him.
4 EXCLAM You use no to indicate that you do not want someone to do something. □ No. I forbid it. You cannot. □ She put up a hand to stop him. 'No. It's not right. We mustn't.'
5 CONVENTION You use no to acknowledge a negative statement or to show that you accept and understand it. □ 'We're not on the main campus.'—'No.' □ 'It's not one of my favourite forms of music.'—'No.'
6 CONVENTION You use no before correcting what you have just said. □ I was twenty-two–no, twenty-one.
7 EXCLAM You use no to express shock or disappointment at something you have just been told. [FEELINGS ] □ 'John phoned to say that his computer wasn't working.'—'Oh God no.'
8 DET You use no to mean not any or not one person or thing. □ He had no intention of paying the cash. □ No job has more influence on the future of the world. □ No letters survive from this early period.
9 DET You use no to emphasize that someone or something is not the type of thing mentioned. [EMPHASIS ] □ He is no singer. □ I make it no secret that our worst consultants earn nothing.
10 ADV You can use no to make the negative form of a comparative. □ It is to start broadcasting no later than the end of next year. □ Yesterday no fewer than thirty climbers reached the summit.
11 DET You use no in front of an adjective and noun to make the noun group mean its opposite. □ Sometimes a bit of selfishness, if it leads to greater self-knowledge, is no bad thing. □ Today's elections are of no great importance in themselves.
12 DET No is used in notices or instructions to say that a particular activity or thing is forbidden. □ The captain turned out the 'no smoking' signs. □ …a notice saying 'No Dogs'.
13 N‑COUNT A no is a person who has answered 'no' to a question or who has voted against something. No is also used to refer to their answer or vote. □ According to the latest opinion polls, the noes have 50 percent, the yeses 35 percent.
14 PHRASE If you say there is no doing a particular thing, you mean that it is very difficult or impossible to do that thing. [EMPHASIS ] □ There is no going back to the life she had.
15 not to take no for an answer → see answer
16 no doubt → see doubt
17 no less than → see less
18 no longer → see long ➌
19 in no way → see way
20 there's no way → see way
21 no way → see way
No. (Nos ) No. is a written abbreviation for number . □ That year he was named the nation's No. 1 college football star. □ Columbia Law Review, vol. no. 698 p1317.
no -accou nt ADJ [usu ADJ n] A no-account person or thing is one that you consider worthless. [AM , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a mongrelized, no-account place.