or aint (colloquial or vulgar).—A contraction for ‘are not’; ‘am not’; is not; has not; have not (HAN’T): chiefly Cockney; cf. shan’t, won’t, can’t. See AIN’T. Also = ‘and may it.’
1612. CHAPMAN, The Widow’s Tears, ii. 4. AN’T please your honour.
1706. WARD, Hudibras Redivivus, I. i. 24. But if your Eyes A’N’T quick of Motion.
1734. FIELDING, An Old Man Taught Wisdom, 17. Ha, ha, ha! AN’T we! no! How ignorant it is!
1778. BURNEY, Evelina, I. xxi. Those you are engaged to A’N’T half so near related to you as we are.
1812. H. and J. SMITH, Rejected Addresses, 69. No, that A’NT it, says he.
1828. BULWER-LYTTON, Pelham, xlii. A’N’T we behind-hand?
1829. [LAMB, Life and Letters (1860), I. 348.] AN’T you glad about Burk’s case?
1864. TENNYSON, Northern Farmer, xiii. Joänes, as ’ANT nor a ’aäpoth o’ sense.
1865. DICKENS, Our Mutual Friend, iii. 12. She AIN’T half bad.
