shannot
Contraction of shall + not.
Verb
- Contraction of shall + not.
- Beau. If e’re extremities did kill, we both / Shall die this very minute. Gra. You sha’not go. - 1660, James Shirley, The Wedding […], act 4:
- Assure your self, though you have married her, you shall not long enjoy your happiness; you sha’not Sir. - 1678, T. D. [Thomas d'Urfey], The Fool Turn’d Critick […], page 57:
- And thou, dread God of Love, try every Dart. / You shannot stir. - 1685, Nathaniel Lee, Sophonisba: or, Hannibal’s Overthrow […], page 33:
Synonyms: shan't
Origin
Contraction of shall + not, first attested in the 16th century but likely inherited from Late Middle English. Displaced by shan't in most dialects of English after the early modern period. Parallel to cannot and obsolete or dialectal wonnot, hannot, donnot.