Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • See butt.
  • noun See butt.
  • Outside; without; out.
  • In or to the outer room of a cottage having a but and a ben: as, he was but a few minutes ago; he gaed but just now.
  • Only; merely; just. See III.
  • Outside of; without.—
  • To the outside of.—
  • To the outer apartment of: as, gae but the house.
  • Without; not having; apart from.
  • Except; besides; more than.
  • Except; unless: after a clause containing or implying a negation, and introducing the following clause, in which (the verb being usually omitted because implied in the preceding clause) but before the noun (subject or object of the omitted verb) comes to be regarded as a preposition governing the noun.
  • The clause introduced by but (the apparent object of the qnasi-preposition) may be a single word, an infinitive or prepositional phrase, or a clause with that.
  • By ellipsis of the subject of the clause introduced by but in this construction, but becomes equivalent to that … not or whonot.
  • In this construction the negative, being implied in but, came to be omitted, especially in connection with the verbbe, in the principal clause, the construction “There is not but one God,” as in the first example, becoming “There is but one God,” leaving but as a quasi-adverb, ‘only, merely, simply.’ This use is also extended to constructions not originally negative.
  • To the last two constructions, respectively, belong the idioms “I cannot but hope that,” etc., and “I can but hope that,” etc. The former has suffered ellipsis of the principal verb in the first clause: “I cannot do anything but hope,” or “anything else than hope,” or “otherwise than hope,” etc., implying constraint, in that there is an alternative which one is mentally unable or reluctant to accept, but being equivalent to otherwise than. The latter, “I can but hope that,” etc., has suffered further ellipsis of the negative, and, though historically the same as the former, is idiomatically different: “I can only hope that,” etc., implying restraint, in that there is no alternative or opportunity of action, but being equivalent to only, not otherwise than, or no more than.
  • In an interrogative sentence implying a negative answer, can but is equivalent to cannot but in a declarative sentence.
  • After doubt, or doubt not, and other expressions involving a negative, but may be used as after other negatives, but that being often used pleonastically for that.
  • Hence the use of but with if or that, forming a unitary phrase but if, ‘unless, if not,’ but that, ‘except that, unless’ (these phrases having of course also their analytical meaning, with but in its adversative use).
  • The phrase but that, often abbreviated to but, thus takes an extended meaning. If not; unless.
  • Escept that, otherwise than that, that … not. After negative clauses.
  • The negative clause is often represented by the single word not.
  • An expletive what sometimes, but incorrectly, follows.
  • After interrogative clauses implying a negative answer.
  • After imperative or exclamatory clauses.
  • Excepting or excluding the fact that; save that; were it not that; unless.
  • However; yet; still; nevertheless; notwithstanding: introducing a statement in restriction or modification of the preceding statement.
  • On the contrary; on the other hand: the regular adversative conjunction, introducing a clause in contrast with the preceding.
  • The statement with which the clause with but is thus contrasted may be unexpressed, being implied in the context or supplied by the circumstances.
  • Sometimes, instead of the statement with which the clause with but is contrasted, an exclamation of surprise, admiration, or other strong feeling precedes, the clause with but then expressing the ground of the feeling.
  • Than: after comparatives.
  • When.
  • [By further ellipsis and idiomatic deflection but has in modern English developed a great variety of special and isolated uses derived from the preceding.] Synonyms However, Still, Nevertheless, etc. See however.
  • See butt.
  • noun The outer room of a house consisting of only two rooms; the kitchen: the other room being the ben.
  • Short for abut. See butt.
  • noun A flounder or plaice.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb See butt, v., and abut, v.
  • noun A limit; a boundary.
  • noun The end; esp. the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end. Now disused in this sense, being replaced by butt{2}. See 1st Butt.
  • noun the larger or thicker end; See Butt, n.
  • adverb obsolete Except with; unless with; without.
  • adverb Except; besides; save.
  • adverb Excepting or excluding the fact that; save that; were it not that; unless; -- elliptical, for but that.
  • adverb Otherwise than that; that not; -- commonly, after a negative, with that.
  • adverb Only; solely; merely.
  • adverb 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.
  • adverb See under All.
  • adverb 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 �.
  • adverb [Obs.] unless.
  • noun Scot. The outer apartment or kitchen of a two-roomed house; -- opposed to ben, the inner room.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English but, buten, boute, bouten, from Old English būtan ("out of, outside of, off, round about, except, without, all but, but only, besides, in addition to, in spite of, except that, save, but, only, unless, save that, if only, provided that, outside"), equivalent to be- +‎ out. Cognate with Scots but, bot ("outside, without, but"), West Frisian bûten ("outside of, apart from, other than, except, but"), Dutch buiten ("outside"), German Low German buuten, buute ("outside"), Dutch Low Saxon buten ("outside"). Compare bin, about.

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Examples

  •   It took Britain 341 years to name a woman to the highly-prestigious but low-paid post of poet laureate,  but Carol Ann Duffy, the first female and the first openly bisexual holder of the post as well,  has made up for lost time.

    Bitter About Pay, Poet Laureate Strikes Catty Tone 2010

  • I must have been nuts, but as I say, it's a special night, so I clap my hands and make a few wolf whistles just to be cute,  but then I get to thinking she looks cuckoo up there,  poor thing.

    cockroaches Mimi Carmen 2010

  • I had a tiny bit less love for Idess, but I think it is because Sin overpowered in the book..but I adored Sin...oh, I can't wait for her book :

    Review: Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione Donna 2010

  • Ooh - I have seen this around but didn't know if I would like it..but if you do....will have to read it soon!

    Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl Donna 2009

  • Marziya knows with money you get sweets toys, but here she is aware that what she gives the Umbrella lady will not get her anything in return..but a sweet smile .. and this is the lesson I teach Marziya , giving charity without compulsion, I teach Marziya along with photography the meaning of humility...

    Archive 2009-08-01 photographerno1 2009

  • Kale sorry to knit pick/correct, but I do not think the grammar nazi is refined enough to pick it up …..but it is a silent T in pinot.

    Ambiguity: Mixed Messages and Style Overlap BikeSnobNYC 2009

  • I entered my classroom to attempt to teach, but soon realized it was an impossible situation….now mind you…I try to use the term, impossible, loosely..but this..

    Botswana 2008: A day in the life Jennifer Marie Jordan 2009

  • They came up but bloomed late..but they did bloom.

    How To Repot Daylily Seedlings-and other valuable info « Fairegarden 2009

  • I cannot imagine your pain but I *can* understand how you live it - because you have no choice *but* to live with it.

    How are you? Elizabeth McClung 2009

  • Mangla calls me bhau, brother and is mad about Marziya , I have a great relationship with the Koli fisherwown of Bandra Bazar Fish Market , but when it comes to business they wont give me a penny discount..but than Mangla will tell the person concerned to make the price less ..as he writes about us ..our difficulties our struggle .

    Archive 2009-07-01 photographerno1 2009

Comments

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  • Tub in reverse.

    November 3, 2007

  • And with an attitude.

    July 3, 2008

  • A word best followed with a dramatic pause.

    May 16, 2009