From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnot nownot nowNOWused to tell someone that you do not want to talk to them or do something now, because you are busy, tired etc ‘Tell me a story.’ ‘Not now, Daddy’s working.’ → now
Examples from the Corpus
not now• Once the sound would have made her nervous, but not now.• People used to respect teachers, but they don't now.• When I was younger I spent hours lying out in the sun but not now.• Before 1914, one could talk like that without sounding false or ridiculous, but not now.• Ironically, that bookmaker, who traded from Easter Road, is not now active in the field.• Milosevic could not now, after such a reverse, order such actions.• Groin kicks are not now allowed, so the old requirement of a narrow stance has relaxed somewhat.• But not now and they don't understand.• "Tell me a story." "Not now, Daddy's working."• A man quite simply can not now father a baby unless his wife is fully and deliberately agreeable.• And if not now, when? 