We’ve already talked here on the site about the expression Be About To . If you’ve read that article, you might be wondering why we’re talking about the same expression, only in the negative. After all, the meaning must be the same, isn’t it?
In fact, not quite. It’s just that be not about to has a different meaning and usage. While be about to means “to be about” to do something, be not about to indicates a resolution not to do something. It’s similar to when someone says, “I’m not going to do this!”
For example, see the two expressions being used in the same sentence:
I am about to tell that secret to my husband.
I ‘m about to tell my husband that secret.
I am not about to tell that secret to my husband.
I ‘m not going to tell my husband that secret.
See how different they are? So, let’s look at more sentences with the expression be not about to:
I am not about to work this sunday.
I ‘m not going to work this Sunday.
She wasn’t about to pay $500 on a dress.
She was the one who wouldn’t pay $500 on a dress.
I’m not about to give up coffee, even if the doctor tells me it’s bad for me.
I ‘m the one who won’t give up coffee, even if the doctor tells me it’s bad for me.
(Read the post How do you say “Abrir Mão de Algo” in English? )
I’m not about to work on this after hours if the deadline isn’t until next month.
I ‘m the one who won’t work after hours if the deadline is next month.
Jane wasn’t about to pay all that extra money just to get a different color.
Jane wouldn’t pay all that extra money just to get a different color.
The Daily Planet is not about to attack a charity organization.
The Daily Planet is not going to attack a charity.
We have a limited supply of medication and I’m not about to waste it.
We have a limited supply of medicines and I ‘m not going to waste them.
(Read the post What is the difference between Medication, Medicine and Drug? )
I’m not about to create a citywide panic.
I ‘m not going to create panic all over town.
He ‘s not about to let this invitation go unanswered.
He is not going to leave this invitation unanswered.
Mr. and Mrs. Hansen were not about to allow their daughter to marry that man. “She’ll marry him over my dead body!” said Mrs. Hansen.
It was Mr. and Mrs. Hansen who would not let their daughter marry that man. “She will marry him only over my dead body!” said Mrs. Hansen. (Read the Over My Dead Body post | What does this expression mean? )
A complete stranger called me and asked for my social security number. Obviously I was not about to give him that information.
A complete stranger called me and asked for my social security number. Obviously, I was n’t going to give him that information.
It is common for people to use our expression today to say that they have never done anything and “this is not the moment” that they will start. In these cases, the phrase looks like this: be not about to start now . See some examples:
I’ve never smoked in my life and I’m not about to start now .
I have never smoked in my life and this is not where I will start .
I’ve never done any cooking and I’m not about to start now .
I have never cooked and this is not where I will start .
I have never so much as taken a sick day and I’m not about to start now .
I have never even been absent due to illness and this is not where I will start .
I’ve never lost a bet and I’m not about to start right now .
I have never lost a bet and this is not where I start .
