student asking question

What does "by no means" mean?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"By no means" is similar to saying "not at all" or "in no way." Simply put, it means "not" doing or being something. It's slightly formal in tone and can be used in serious and unserious situations. Ex: She is by no means a friend of mine. = She isn't my friend. Ex: By no means are you allowed to go out past ten pm tonight, Jane.

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