Define Not For Nothing Meaning

As a native New Yorker, it pains me to see that none of the other definitions seems to actually grasp what not for nothing means.

"Not for nothing" is used to soften the blow of something that would normally be offensive or come on too strong.

For example, if your friend showed up wearing purple and yellow striped pants to a party and asked you how he looked, you could respond, "well, not for nothing, Jimmy, but you look like a gay, retarded zebra." Or if you want to try out for a musical but you can't sing to save your life, your friend might tell you, "hey, not for nothing, but you suck at singing and you're not gonna get that part." Things of that nature.

Used as an introductory phrase to indicate that the principle phrase which follows is intended neither to be commanding nor officious, but simply as friendly advice or constructive observation.

Phrase meaning "what I'm about to say is important." That is "I'm not saying this for my health"....

Generally said as "Not f'nuthin', but...."

NYC/East Coast slang of the caucasian working class (particularly Italians)...

Colloquial, inverted way of saying, "for good reason," to emphasize a point. "Not for nothing is Paris called the City of Lights." Used extensively in English literature, including C.S. Lewis, Samuel Butler, and Jack London.

It can also imply consequences, for good or bad. "Not for nothing has Shaq played basketball all those years." Or, in a negative way, "Not for nothing has David Duke earned a reputation for bigotry."

It does not mean "for what it's worth," a common mistake. To see why this does not work, replace the words: "For what it's worth is Paris called the City of Lights."

There is a similar Italian phrase which is not used in the same manner in Italian, "non per niente."

There must be a good reason why.

Not for anything.

Actually means "something," but is used when you don't feel like explaining.

Nothing was once questioned by a great mind. Is it the "prescense of abscence or the abscense of prescense"? Furthermore, what is the sound of one hand clapping? What is out there in the universe, at what makes up those vast spaces of abscense? (or prescense of abscense)

Nothing, put simply, is the deepest, shallowest, brightest, darkest, widest, thinnest, and incomprehensibly empty emptyness, so empty that it is only prevented from collapsing upon itself because there is no substance to collapsae in upon, or no substance to do the collapsing, or even any substance to think or daydream about collapsing upon abscense of prescense or prescense of abscense, which is still utterly and completely absent of form and shape and mass and prescense that is abscent from the existance of anything. In short, nothing is the total, absolute, final, and complete spot that is both positive and negative, young and old, and to sum it all up the opposite of everything in existance, for there is no existance in nothingness. It has even been thought that nothingness itself doesn't even exist, and that the existance of nothingness is so impossibly ludicrous and isnane that if anyone were to actually realize or see nothingness, the entirety of the expanse of the Everything would simply vaporize, leaving even more nothingness in its place.

Nothingness is nothing, to put it simply. (really, this time)

A nerdy goth, or a gothic nerd. A noth fits in with the other goths, yet exels in school and are as smart as nerds. Nerds shouldn't be cunfused with geeks, dorks, or dweebs.Not geeks, dorks, and dweebs are smart. All nerds and noths are really smart and most are awsome.

What my daughter tells me they learned at school today, and every other day for that matter. Usually followed by a shrug. Slang for "I can't be bothered remembering or telling you".