A man goes into a pet shop to buy a parrot.
The shop owner points to three identically looking parrots on a perch and says:
"The parrot on the left costs $500."
"Why does the parrot cost so much?", asks the guest.
The owner says,
"Well, the parrot knows how to use a computer."
The man then asks about the next parrot. He is told that this one costs $1000, because it can do everything the other parrot can do, plus it knows how to use the UNIX operating system.
Naturally, the increasingly startled man asks about the third parrot. He is told that it costs $2000. Needless to say this begs the question,
"What can it do?"
To which the owner replies,
"To be honest I have never seen it do a thing, but the other two call him boss!"
Abbr. Number. [latin numero, ablative of numerus number]
- claim bonus n. (also no claims bonus) reduction of an insurance premium after an agreed period without a claim.
- go adj. (usu. Hyphenated when attrib.) Colloq. Impossible, hopeless; forbidden (tried to get him to agree, but it was clearly no go; no-go area).
- man's land n. - space between two opposing armies.
- area not assigned to any owner.
- one n. No person; nobody.
- adj. - not any (there is no excuse).
- not a, quite other than (is no fool).
- hardly any (did it in no time).
- used elliptically in a notice etc., to forbid etc. The thing specified (no parking). no way colloq. - it is impossible.
- i will not agree etc. No wonder see *wonder. [related to *none]
- symb. Nobelium.
- var. Of *noh.
- —adv. - indicating that the answer to the question is negative, the statement etc. Made or course of action intended or conclusion arrived at is not correct or satisfactory, the request or command will not be complied with, or the negative statement made is correct.
- (foll. By compar.) By no amount; not at all (no better than before). —n. (pl. Noes) 1 utterance of the word no.
- denial or refusal.
- ‘no’ vote. no longer not now or henceforth as formerly. Or no or not (pleasant or no, it is true). [old english]
