ain't

Etymology: contraction of are not Date: 1749 1. am not ; are not ; is not 2. have not ; has not 3. do not ; does not ; did not — used in some varieties of Black English Usage: Although widely disapproved as nonstandard and more common in the habitual speech of the less educated, ain't in senses 1 and 2 is flourishing in American English. It is used in both speech and writing to catch attention and to gain emphasis <

the wackiness of movies, once so deliciously amusing, ain't funny anymore — Richard Schickel

> <

I am telling you—there ain't going to be any blackmail — R. M. Nixon

>. It is used especially in journalistic prose as part of a consistently informal style <

the creative process ain't easy — Mike Royko

>. This informal ain't is commonly distinguished from habitual ain't by its frequent occurrence in fixed constructions and phrases <

well—class it ain't — Cleveland Amory

> <

for money? say it ain't so, Jimmy! — Andy Rooney

> <

you ain't seen nothing yet

> <

that ain't hay

> <

two out of three ain't bad

> <

if it ain't broke, don't fix it

>. In fiction ain't is used for purposes of characterization; in familiar correspondence it tends to be the mark of a warm personal friendship. It is also used for metrical reasons in popular songs <

Ain't She Sweet

> <

It Ain't Necessarily So

>. Our evidence shows British use to be much the same as American.