have not or has not: as, I ha'n't, we ha'n't, he ha'n't.' name='description'> han't - definition and meaning

Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A vulgar contraction of have not or has not: as, I ha'n't, we ha'n't, he ha'n't.
  • noun An obsolete or dialectal form of haunt.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • proper possessive noun A contraction of have not, or has not, used in illiterate speech. In the United States the commoner spelling is hain't.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • phrase dialect , (archaic) has not
  • phrase dialect , (archaic) have not

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

Comments

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  • Contraction for have not, haven't.

    December 17, 2007

  • I really want this to be ha'n't. Please.

    December 17, 2007

  • I'm sure it may be so, somewhere. Alas, in Clarissa, it only has the one apostrophe.

    December 17, 2007

  • What business have you here, or with me?-- You have your letters, han't you?

    Clarissa Harlowe to Lovelace (as quoted by him), Clarissa by Samuel Richardson

    December 17, 2007

  • I'm with bilby. Problem is, when it's spelled like that, I'm more likely to pronounce it "haint."

    December 18, 2007

  • I would certainly make more sense with 2 apostrophes. I can't understand why be'n't should have two.

    December 18, 2007

  • Oops. I meant it would make more sense. Apostrophes have no effect on me whatsoever.

    December 18, 2007

  • Isn't a ha'nt dialect for a ghost, or haunt?

    December 18, 2007

  • Well said Mi'er'a!

    December 18, 2007

  • Alas, another usage with but one apostrophe:

    "At the Ship he gave her a shilling, and her face dropped. 'That's a shilling,' he said. 'Han't you ever seen a shilling?' She shook her head."

    --Patrick O'Brian, The Reverse of the Medal, 120

    February 24, 2008

  • see comments at Ha'n't

    March 25, 2021

  • hain't. This is a word that I've heard at least one person use habitually.

    This person also used the non-count noun HAIR as in, "I hain't washed my hairs today."

    March 26, 2021