not one iota

Idioms & Phrases

not one iota

Not even the smallest amount, as in He got not one iota of thanks for his efforts. This usage appeared in slightly different form in the New Testament (Matthew 5:18): "One jot [iota] ... shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled." (The noun jot comes from the Greek iota.)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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