jot
part of speech
verb (jot, jots, jotted, jotting; usually «jot down»); noun (a jot)
meaning for a pupil
1) To jot something down means to write it quickly in a few words. tree →
2) A jot is a very tiny amount, used mostly in «not a jot» meaning «not at all». tree →
sense in the lessons
At school pupils jot down ideas, notes or working before writing properly; a «jotter» (UK, Scotland) is a rough notebook. In older stories and the Bible «not one jot» means not the smallest bit. Phrases: «jot down», «not a jot», «not care a jot».
examples
- Jot down your ideas before you start the story. tree →
- I jotted her phone number on my hand. tree →
- Jot your working in the margin. tree →
- He didn't care a jot about the rain. tree →
- The Mole hadn't a jot of fear left once he saw the Rat. tree →
- Please jot a quick note to say where you've gone. tree →
- «Jottings» are short notes written quickly. tree →
- Among these were many well-known rascals, who cared not a jot for study or for success. tree →
note
Past: jotted, with double t. «Jot» comes from iota, the smallest Greek letter. Not a jot = nothing at all.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «jot» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.