shan't

See also: sha'n't

English

Etymology

shall +‎ -n't; contraction of shalln't or shall not.

Pronunciation

Verb

shan't

  1. (Britain) Shall not (negative auxiliary[1]).
    Shall we go to see a film this afternoon? No, we shan't.
    • 1922, Rex [Ellingwood] Beach, “chapter XXIV”, in Flowing Gold, New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, by arrangement with Harper & Brothers, OCLC 5140023, page 290:
      That's not a threat, sir, for they have played fair with me, and I sha'n't sacrifice a penny of their money—unless they force me to do so. But—I'm in control. I'm sitting pretty. They can't unseat me, and I warn them not to try.

Usage notes

Used in colloquial British English, Australian English and New Zealand English, in North America, rarely used, and may not be understood. In North America, like shall, it may also be considered formal or pompous, or used in a parody of British English speakers.

Alternative forms

See also

  • Appendix:English modal verbs
  • Appendix:English tag questions

References

  1. ↑ Arnold M. Zwicky and Geoffrey K. Pullum, Cliticization vs. Inflection: English n’t, Language 59 (3), 1983, pp. 502-513

Anagrams

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