but definition | Dictionary.com

but

1 [buht; unstressed buh

–conjunction

1.	on the contrary; yet: My brother went, but I did not.

2.	except; save: She was so overcome with grief she could do nothing but weep.

3.	unless; if not; except that (fol. by a clause, often with that expressed): Nothing would do but that I should come in.

4.	without the circumstance that: It never rains but it pours.

5.	otherwise than: There is no hope but by prayer.

6.	that (used esp. after doubt, deny, etc., with a negative): I don't doubt but he will do it.

7.	who not; that not: No leaders worthy of the name ever existed but they were optimists.

8.	(used as an intensifier to introduce an exclamatory expression): But she's beautiful!

9.	Informal. than: It no sooner started raining but it stopped.

–preposition

10.	with the exception of; except; save: No one replied but me.

–adverb

11.	only; just: There is but one God.

–noun

12.	buts, reservations or objections: You'll do as you're told, no buts about it.

—Idioms

13.	but for, except for; were it not for: But for the excessive humidity, it might have been a pleasant day.

14.	but what. what (def. 24).

Origin:
bef. 900; ME buten, OE būtan for phrase be ūtan on the outside, without. See by, out

Synonyms:
1. But, however, nevertheless, still, yet are words implying opposition (with a possible concession). But marks an opposition or contrast, though in a casual way: We are going, but we shall return. However indicates a less marked opposition, but displays a second consideration to be compared with the first: We are going; however (“notice this also”), we shall return. Nevertheless implies a concession, something which should not be forgotten in making a summing up: We are going; nevertheless (“do not forget that”), we shall return. Still implies that in spite of a preceding concession, something must be considered as possible or even inevitable: We have to go on foot; still (“it is probable and possible that”), we'll get there. Yet implies that in spite of a preceding concession, there is still a chance for a different outcome: We are going; yet (“in spite of all, some day”), we shall return. 2. See except ¹ .

Usage note:
1. But, like and, is a common transitional word and often begins sentences. When it is used in the middle of a sentence as a coordinating conjunction like and or so, it is not followed by a comma unless the comma is one of a pair setting off a parenthetical expression: His political affiliations make no difference, but his lack of ethics does. The cast is nearly complete, but, our efforts notwithstanding, we lack a star. See also and, so ¹ .
2, 10. When but is understood as a conjunction and the pronoun following it is understood as the subject of an incompletely expressed clause, the pronoun is in the subjective case: Everyone lost faith in the plan but she (did not lose faith). In virtually identical contexts, when but is understood as a preposition, the pronoun following it is in the objective case: Everyone lost faith but her. The prepositional use is more common. However, when prepositional but and its following pronoun occur near the beginning of a sentence, the subjective case often appears: Everyone but she lost faith in the plan. See also doubt, than.

but

2 [buht]

–noun Scot.

1.	the outer or front room of a house; the outer or front apartment in an apartment house.

2.	the kitchen of a two-room dwelling, esp. of a cottage.

Origin:
1715–25; n. use of but ¹ (adv.) outside, outside the house

but

3 [buht]

butt ⁵ .

but-

a combining form meaning “containing a group of four carbon atoms,” used in the formation of compound words: butene.

butt

5 [buht]

any of several flatfishes, esp. the halibut.

Also, but.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME butte; c. Sw butta turbot, G Butt brill, turbot, flounder, D bot flounder

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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but (bŭt; bət when unstressed)

conj.

On the contrary: the plan caused not prosperity but ruin.
Contrary to expectation; yet: She organized her work but accomplished very little. He is tired but happy.
Usage Problem Used to indicate an exception: No one but she saw the prowler.
With the exception that; except that. Often used with that: would have joined the band but he couldn't spare the time; would have resisted but that they lacked courage.
Informal Without the result that: It never rains but it pours.
Informal That. Often used after a negative: There is no doubt but right will prevail.
That . . . not. Used after a negative or question: There never is a tax law presented but someone will oppose it.
If not; unless: "Ten to one but the police have got them" (Charlotte M. Yonge).
Informal Than: They had no sooner arrived but they turned around and left.

prep. Usage Problem Except.
adv.

Merely; just; only: hopes that lasted but a moment.
Used as an intensive: Get out of here but fast!

[Middle English, from Old English būtan; see ud- in Indo-European roots.]

Usage Note: Traditional grammarians have worried over what form the pronoun ought to take when but is used to indicate an exception in sentences such as No one but I (or No one but me) has read it. Some have argued that but is a conjunction in these sentences and therefore should be followed by the nominative form I. However, many of these grammarians have gone on to argue somewhat inconsistently that the accusative form me is appropriate when the but phrase occurs at the end of a sentence, as in No one has read it but me. While this treatment of the construction has a considerable weight of precedent on its side and cannot be regarded as incorrect, a strong case can be made on grammatical grounds for treating this use of but as a preposition. For one thing, if but were truly a conjunction here, we would expect the verb to agree in person and number with the noun or pronoun following but; we would then say No one but the students have read it. What is more, if but were a true conjunction here we would not expect that it could be moved to the end of a clause, as in No one has read it but the students. Note that we cannot use the conjunction and in a similar way, saying John left and everyone else in the class in place of John and everyone else in the class left. These observations suggest that but is best considered as a preposition here and followed by accusative forms such as me and them in all positions: No one but me has read it. No one has read it but me. These recommendations are supported by 73 percent of the Usage Panel when the but phrase precedes the verb and by 93 percent when the but phrase follows the verb. · But is redundant when used together with however, as in But the army, however, went on with its plans; one or the other word should be eliminated. · But is generally not followed by a comma. Correct written style requires Kim wanted to go, but we stayed, not Kim wanted to go, but, we stayed. · But may be used to begin a sentence at all levels of style. See Usage Notes at and, cannot, doubt, however, I¹.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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But

But\ (b[u^]t), prep., adv. & conj. [OE. bute, buten, AS. b[=u]tan, without, on the outside, except, besides; pref. be- + [=u]tan outward, without, fr. [=u]t out. Primarily, b[=u]tan, as well as [=u]t, is an adverb. [root]198. See By, Out; cf. About.]

1. Except with; unless with; without. [Obs.]

So insolent that he could not go but either spurning equals or trampling on his inferiors. --Fuller.

Touch not the cat but a glove. --Motto of the Mackintoshes.

2. Except; besides; save.

Who can it be, ye gods! but perjured Lycon? --E. Smith.

Note: In this sense, but is often used with other particles; as, but for, without, had it not been for. "Uncreated but for love divine." --Young.

3. Excepting or excluding the fact that; save that; were it not that; unless; -- elliptical, for but that.

And but my noble Moor is true of mind . . . it were enough to put him to ill thinking. --Shak.

4. Otherwise than that; that not; -- commonly, after a negative, with that.

It cannot be but nature hath some director, of infinite power, to guide her in all her ways. --Hooker.

There is no question but the king of Spain will reform most of the abuses. --Addison.

5. Only; solely; merely.

Observe but how their own principles combat one another. --Milton.

If they kill us, we shall but die. --2 Kings vii. 4.

A formidable man but to his friends. --Dryden.

6. On the contrary; on the other hand; only; yet; still; however; nevertheless; more; further; -- as connective of sentences or clauses of a sentence, in a sense more or less exceptive or adversative; as, the House of Representatives passed the bill, but the Senate dissented; our wants are many, but quite of another kind.

Now abideth faith hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. --1 Cor. xiii. 13.

When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom. --Prov. xi. 2.

All but. See under All.

But and if, but if; an attempt on the part of King James's translators of the Bible to express the conjunctive and adversative force of the Greek ?.

But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; . . . the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him. --Luke xii. 45, 46.

But if, unless. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

But this I read, that but if remedy Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see. --Spenser.

Syn: But, However, Still.

Usage: These conjunctions mark opposition in passing from one thought or topic to another. But marks the opposition with a medium degree of strength; as, this is not winter, but it is almost as cold; he requested my assistance, but I shall not aid him at present. However is weaker, and throws the opposition (as it were) into the background; as, this is not winter; it is, however, almost as cold; he required my assistance; at present, however, I shall not afford him aid. The plan, however, is still under consideration, and may yet be adopted. Still is stronger than but, and marks the opposition more emphatically; as, your arguments are weighty; still they do not convince me. See Except, However.

Note: "The chief error with but is to use it where and is enough; an error springing from the tendency to use strong words without sufficient occasion." --Bain.

But

But\, n. [Cf. But, prep., adv. & conj.] The outer apartment or kitchen of a two-roomed house; -- opposed to ben, the inner room. [Scot.]

But

But\, n. [See 1st But.]

1. A limit; a boundary.

2. The end; esp. the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end. See 1st Butt.

But end, the larger or thicker end; as, the but end of a log; the but end of a musket. See Butt, n.

But

But\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Butted; p. pr. & vb. n. Butting.] See Butt, v., and Abut, v.

Language Translation for : but

Spanish: pero,

German: aber,

Japanese: しかし

More Translations »

but

O.E. butan, buton "unless, without, outside," from W.Gmc. *be- "by" + *utana "from without." Not used as a conjunction in O.E.

but

In addition to the idioms beginning with but, also see all but; all over but the shouting; anything but; can't help but; close but no cigar; everything but the kitchen sink; it never rains but it pours; last but not least; no ifs or buts; nothing but; sadder but wiser; separate but equal; slow but sure; spirit is willing but the flesh is weak; there but for the grace of god.

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