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Difference between For a minute and Not for a minute

admin Confusing Phrases

for a minute—

1. very briefly; for a short time:

  • Could I borrow your English dictionary for a minute, please?

2. for one moment:

  • The police moved to protect him and for a minute it seemed as if they were going to put him into a car.

not for a minute—(emphatic) absolutely never (also: not for one minute):

  • He may have considered it but not for a minute did he believe that Scotland would win.