Mary: Is it possible that you'll be able to fix this watch? Sue: Not likely, but we can always try.
•Sally: Will John show up on time, do you think? Bob: Not likely.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
not likely! — ► not likely! informal certainly not. Main Entry: ↑likely … English terms dictionary
not likely! — informal certainly not; I refuse Are you going home? Not likely! * * * not ˈlikely! idiom (informal, especially BrE) used to disagree strongly with a statement or suggestion … Useful english dictionary
not likely — very little chance, improbable, a slim chance Do you think we ll win the prize? the boy asked. Not likely, his dad replied … English idioms
not likely! — informal certainly not. → likely … English new terms dictionary
not likely — spoken used for saying that you or someone else certainly will not do something … English dictionary
not likely! — Certainly not! … A concise dictionary of English slang
NOT LIKELY — … Useful english dictionary
likely — ► ADJECTIVE (likelier, likeliest) 1) such as well might be the case; probable. 2) promising. ► ADVERB ▪ probably. ● a likely story! Cf. ↑a likely story! … English terms dictionary
likely — [līk′lē] adj. likelier, likeliest [ME likly, prob. aphetic < OE geliclic (or < ? ON likligr): see LIKE1 & LY1] 1. apparently true to the facts; credible; probable [a likely cause] 2. seeming as if it would happen or might happen; reasonably … English World dictionary
not in a month of Sundays — (not) in a month of Sundays if you say that something will not happen in a month of Sundays, you mean that it is not likely to happen. He ll never run the marathon, not in a month of Sundays … New idioms dictionary
not worth the paper it is written on — not worth the paper it is written/printed/on phrase used for saying that a written agreement is not worth having because the person who signed it is not likely to do what they said they would do We signed a year’s lease on this place, but it’s… … Useful english dictionary
