not for a/one minute/moment/second/instant

not for a instant

Not for any length of time; not at any point; not at all or in any capacity. Not for a instant did I think this would be a winning ticket, so I was totally gobsmacked to find out I'd won the jackpot! A: "So, did you suspect we were throwing you a surprise party?" B: "No, not for a instant!"

See also: for, instant, not

not for a minute

Not for any length of time; not at any point; not at all or in any capacity. Not for a minute did I think this would be a winning ticket, so I was totally gobsmacked to find out I'd won the jackpot! A: "So, did you suspect we were throwing you a surprise party?" B: "No, not for a minute!"

See also: for, minute, not

not for a moment

Not for any length of time; not at any point; not at all or in any capacity. Not for a moment did I think this would be a winning ticket, so I was totally gobsmacked to find out I'd won the jackpot! A: "So, did you suspect we were throwing you a surprise party?" B: "No, not for a moment!"

See also: for, moment, not

not for a second

Not for any length of time; not at any point; not at all or in any capacity. Not for a second did I think this would be a winning ticket, so I was totally gobsmacked to find out I'd won the jackpot! A: "So, did you suspect we were throwing you a surprise party?" B: "No, not for a second!"

See also: for, not, second

not for one instant

Not for any length of time; not at any point; not at all or in any capacity. Not for one instant did I think this would be a winning ticket, so I was totally gobsmacked to find out I'd won the jackpot! A: "So, did you suspect we were throwing you a surprise party?" B: "No, not for one instant!"

See also: for, instant, not, one

not for one minute

Not for any length of time; not at any point; not at all or in any capacity. Not for one minute did I think this would be a winning ticket, so I was totally gobsmacked to find out I'd won the jackpot! A: "So, did you suspect we were throwing you a surprise party?" B: "No, not for one minute!"

See also: for, minute, not, one

not for one moment

Not for any length of time; not at any point; not at all or in any capacity. Not for one moment did I think this would be a winning ticket, so I was totally gobsmacked to find out I'd won the jackpot! A: "So, did you suspect we were throwing you a surprise party?" B: "No, not for one moment!"

See also: for, moment, not, one

not for one second

Not for any length of time; not at any point; not at all or in any capacity. Not for one second did I think this would be a winning ticket, so I was totally gobsmacked to find out I'd won the jackpot! A: "So, did you suspect we were throwing you a surprise party?" B: "No, not for one second!"

See also: for, not, one, second

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

not for a moment

not at all; not even for a short amount of time; never. I don't want you to leave. Not for a moment! I could not wish such a horrible punishment on anyone. Not for a moment!

See also: for, moment, not

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

not for a moment

Never, not in the least, as in Not for a moment did I believe he was telling the truth. This expression employs moment in the sense of "the tiniest length of time," a usage dating from the mid-1300s.

See also: for, moment, not

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

not for a/one ˈminute/ˈmoment/ˈsecond/ˈinstant

(informal) not at all; definitely not: I didn’t think for a minute that he was married. ♢ Not for one instant would I ever consider going there on holiday again.

See also: for, instant, minute, moment, not, one, second

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017