How to select an element which doesn't have a specific class name, using jQuery?

How could a Commando, like myself, select an element witch does not have a class named "active", using the infamous and powerful jQuery Sizzle CSS and eve开发者_如何学编程rything else - Selector?

I've tried with:

$('a[class!="active"]').etc();

But it gives no adequate results.

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$('a:not(.active)')

should work

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yours works as well. just tested: http://jsfiddle.net/UP6a7/