English Reference
Idiom idiom

not want to do that


To be in a state of doing or being about to do something that one is likely to regret; usually unknowingly or forgetfully.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

You do not want to do that with the hot stove.

CONTEXTUAL

If you send that angry email to your boss, you really do not want to do that.

COMPLEX

Before you commit your entire savings to such a volatile market, consider that you do not want to do that.


Related idioms5entries
  1. 01

    want for nothing

    To have everything one needs.

  2. 02

    want someone's nachos

    To covet another; to envy one's accomplishments or qualities.

  3. 03

    want to know

    To ask (used as a dialogue marker or introductory statement).

  4. 04

    waste not, want not

    If one is not wasteful then one will not be in need.

  5. 05

    who wants to know

    A retort to a question posed by a stranger, when one does not want to either confirm or deny.

Last updated August 10, 2026