not it
Chaser denial cry
Not it is a declaration used in informal games or situations where someone must perform an unwanted task.
The last person to call "not it" gets stuck with the job.
Children use it to assign who's "it" in tag; adults use it to avoid chores or obligations: Not it on cleaning the bathroom.
The phrase captures the logic of opting out before anyone else can.
- tagIdentifier or classifier
- duck duck gooseChildren's pursuit game
- chaseRapid following of quarry
- gameOrganized play or sport
- playgroundChildren's outdoor recreation space
running · touch · freeze · hiding · home free · escape · dodge · safe · base · counting · seeking · children · recess · pointing · point the finger · blame · excluded · deny
- playground callsdibs, my turn, you're out, safe, first
- kidspeakboo-boo, booboo, cooties, gimme, gonna
- counting rhymeseeny meeny, sky blue, red white blue