ain

Everyday

1. Ain is not a word on its own; it is the first part of «ain't», a short form cut off at the apostrophe. tree →
2. (informal, nonstandard) Ain't means am not, is not, are not, has not or have not, as in «I ain't got any». tree →

In the lessons

It appears in stories and real speech when a character talks in a very casual or dialect way; it tells the reader the speaker is relaxed, rough or from a certain place. In school writing and exams you should write the full form instead. Phrases: «ain't got», «it ain't fair», «if it ain't broke, don't fix it».

Examples

• «I ain't going,» said the boy in the story. tree →
• It ain't fair — she got more cake! tree →
• «We ain't seen nothing yet,» the farmer laughed. tree →
• If it ain't broke, don't fix it. tree →
• In your essay, write «isn't», not «ain't». tree →
• «You ain't finished your sums,» Nan grumbled. tree →
• "Brer Fox ain't sayin' nuthin' 'tall. tree →

Note

Ain't is nonstandard; teachers mark it wrong in formal writing. Change it to isn't, aren't, am not, hasn't or haven't. A double negative like «ain't got none» means «haven't got any» in meaning, not a positive. In maths problems «ain't» changes nothing about the numbers; read it as «is not / has not».

In Jewish tradition

Ain is a place name on the eastern border of the Land of Israel. It is also a city in the south, in the lands of Judah and Simeon, listed with Rimmon and Ashan. In Kabbalah, Ain is the Hebrew word for "nothing."

Interpretation. Kabbalists use "Ain" for the hidden Godhead beyond all description, before "Ain Suph" (the Infinite) and "Ain Suph Aur" (Infinite Light). The city lists in Joshua and Chronicles show how the land was divided among the tribes.

Examples

• and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down, and shall strike upon the slope of the sea of Chinnereth eastward; (Torah NUM.34.11, JPS 1917) tree →
• Non-existent ; the word is AIN, nothingness. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• Ain precedes Ain Suph, boundlessness; and Ain Suph Aur, Boundless Light. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• Ain, Rimmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities with their villages; (Prophets JOS.19.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• And their villages were Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities; (Writings 1CH.4.32, JPS 1917) tree →
• and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon; all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages. (Prophets JOS.15.32, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Ain't is nonstandard; teachers mark it wrong in formal writing. Change it to isn't, aren't, am not, hasn't or haven't. A double negative like «ain't got none» means «haven't got any» in meaning, not a positive. In maths problems «ain't» changes nothing about the numbers; read it as «is not / has not».