In whatever manner or way: However he did it, it was very clever.
To whatever degree or extent: "have begun, however reluctantly, to acknowledge the legitimacy of some of the concerns"(Christopher Lasch).
In what way. Used as an intensive of how: However did you get here so soon?
In spite of that; nevertheless; yet: The book is expensive; however, it's worth it.
On the other hand; by contrast: The first part was easy; the second, however, took hours.
conj.
In whatever manner or way: Dress however you like.
Archaic Notwithstanding that; although.
Usage Note: Although some grammarians have insisted that however should not be used to begin a sentence, this rule has been ignored by a number of reputable writers. Forty-two percent of Usage Panelists say they do not follow the rule in their own writing, 19 percent say they observe it only sometimes, and 36 percent say they usually observe it. See Usage Notes at but, whatever.
despite anything to the contrary (usually following a concession); "although I'm a little afraid, however I'd like to try it"; "while we disliked each other, nevertheless we agreed"; "he was a stern yet fair master"; "granted that it is dangerous, all the same I still want to go"
2.
by contrast; on the other hand; "the first part was easy; the second, however, took hours"
3.
to whatever degree or extent; "The results, however general, are important"; "they have begun, however reluctantly, to acknowledge the legitimacy of some of the opposition's concerns"
4.
in whatever way or manner; "Victory, however it was brought about, was sweet"; "however he did it, it was very clever"
At\, prep. [AS. [ae]t; akin to OHG. az, Goth., OS., & Icel. at, Sw. [*a]t, Dan. & L. ad.] Primarily, this word expresses the relations of presence, nearness in place or time, or direction toward; as, at the ninth hour; at the house; to aim at a mark. It is less definite than in or on; at the house may be in or near the house. From this original import are derived all the various uses of at. It expresses: 1. A relation of proximity to, or of presence in or on, something; as, at the door; at your shop; at home; at school; at hand; at sea and on land. 2. The relation of some state or condition; as, at war; at peace; at ease; at your service; at fault; at liberty; at risk; at disadvantage. 3. The relation of some employment or action; occupied with; as, at engraving; at husbandry; at play; at work; at meat (eating); except at puns. 4. The relation of a point or position in a series, or of degree, rate, or value; as, with the thermometer at 80[deg]; goods sold at a cheap price; a country estimated at 10,000 square miles; life is short at the longest. 5. The relations of time, age, or order; as, at ten o'clock; at twenty-one; at once; at first. 6. The relations of source, occasion, reason, consequence, or effect; as, at the sight; at this news; merry at anything; at this declaration; at his command; to demand, require, receive, deserve, endure at your hands. 7. Relation of direction toward an object or end; as, look at it; to point at one; to aim at a mark; to throw, strike, shoot, wink, mock, laugh at any one. At all, At home, At large, At last, At length, At once, etc. See under All, Home, Large, Last (phrase and syn.), Length, Once, etc. At it, busily or actively engaged. At least. See Least and However. At one. See At one, in the Vocabulary. Syn: In, At. Usage: When reference to the interior of any place is made prominent in is used. It is used before the names of countries and cities (esp. large cities); as, we live in America, in New York, in the South. At is commonly employed before names of houses, institutions, villages, and small places; as, Milton was educated at Christ's College; money taken in at the Customhouse; I saw him at the jeweler's; we live at Beachville. At may be used before the name of a city when it is regarded as a mere point of locality. "An English king was crowned at Paris." --Macaulay. "Jean Jacques Rousseau was born at Geneva, June, 28, 1712." --J. Morley. In regard to time, we say at the hour, on the day, in the year; as, at 9 o'clock, on the morning of July 5th, in the year 1775.
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.
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