Etimology
From Middle English but, buten, boute, bouten, from Old English būtan (“without, outside of, except, only”), from Proto-West Germanic *biūtan, *biūtini, equivalent to be- + out. Cognate with Scots but, bot (“outside, without, but”), Saterland Frisian buute (“without”), West Frisian bûten (“outside of, apart from, other than, except, but”), Dutch buiten (“outside”), Dutch Low Saxon buten (“outside”), German Low German buuten, buute (“outside”), obsolete German baußen (“outside”), Luxembourgish baussen. Compare bin, about. Eclipsed non-native Middle English mes (“but”) borrowed from Old French mes, mais (> French mais (“but”)).
preposition
but
Apart from, except (for), excluding.
(obsolete outside Scotland) Outside of.
Examples
Synonyms: barring, except for, save for; see also Thesaurus:except
Everyone but Father left early.
I like everything but that.
Nobody answered the door when I knocked, so I had no choice but to leave.
Luiz struggled with the movement of Helguson in the box, as he collected a long ball and the Spaniard barged him over, leaving referee Chris Foy little option but to point to the spot.
Away but the hoose and tell me whae's there.
adverb
but (not comparable)
(chiefly literary or poetic) Merely, only, just, no more than
(Australia, Geordie, conjunctive) Though, however.
Examples
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:merely
Christmas comes but once a year.
If they kill us, we shall but die.
For to see her was to love her,Love but her, and love for ever.
In those days, when my hands were much employed, I read but little, but the least scraps of paper which lay on the ground, my holder, or tablecloth, afforded me as much entertainment, in fact answered the same purpose as the Iliad.
Now the Wicked Witch of the West had but one eye, yet that was as powerful as a telescope, and could see everywhere.
Black Knight: "'Tis but a scratch." King Arthur: "A scratch? Your arm's off!"
The stony outcrops are often covered but thinly with arable soil; winters are bitingly cold, and rainfall scanty and unpredictable.
May the Protector of the Buddhist Faith grant me but seven more days grace of life to be quit of this disloyal couple, father and son.
Synonyms: even so, nevertheless, notwithstanding, yet; see also Thesaurus:nevertheless
I'll have to go home early but.
"Supposin' the chap ain't dead, but?" Regan persisted.
conjunction
but
However, although, nevertheless, on the other hand (introducing a clause contrary to prior belief or in contrast with the preceding clause or sentence).
On the contrary, rather (as a regular adversative conjunction, introducing a word or clause in contrast or contradiction with the preceding negative clause or sentence).
(colloquial) Used at the beginning of a sentence to express opposition to a remark.
Except that (introducing a subordinate clause which qualifies a negative statement); also, with omission of the subject of the subordinate clause, acting as a negative relative, "except one that", "except such that".
(colloquial) Used to link an interjection to the following remark as an intensifier.
(archaic) Without it also being the case that; unless that (introducing a necessary concomitant).
(obsolete) Except with; unless with; without.
(obsolete) Only; solely; merely.
(obsolete) Until.
(obsolete, following a negated expression of improbability) That. [16th–19th c.]
Examples
She is very old but still attractive.
You told me I could do that, but she said that I could not.
I am not rich but [I am] poor. Not John but Peter went there.
But I never said you could do that!
In reality, I apprehend every amorous widow on the stage would run the hazard of being condemned as a servile imitation of Dido, but that happily very few of our play-house critics understand enough of Latin to read Virgil.
Irregular bedtimes may disrupt healthy brain development in young children, according to a study of intelligence and sleeping habits.Going to bed at a different time each night affected girls more than boys, but both fared worse on mental tasks than children who had a set bedtime, researchers found.
Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.
I cannot but feel offended.
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,From this day to the ending of the world,But we in it shall be rememberèd—
There is no reason but hath another contrary unto it, saith the wisest party of Philosophers.
And but my noble Moor is true of mind […] it were enough to put him to ill thinking.
A deadly silence step by step increased, Until it seem'd a horrid presence there, And not a man but felt the terror in his hair.
In those days, when my hands were much employed, I read but little, but the least scraps of paper which lay on the ground, my holder, or tablecloth, afforded me as much entertainment, in fact answered the same purpose as the Iliad.
Wow! But that's amazing!
"Jakers, but we worked." With a long breath she shut her eyes. "But it was too much for one woman and a half-grown girl […] "
It never rains but it pours.
No arboret with painted blossomes drest, / And smelling sweet, but there it might be found […]
For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so
This man unable to manage his own happineſſe, grew ſo inſolent that he could not go, but either ſpurning his equals, or trampling on his inferiours.
Observe but how their own principles combat one another.
a formidable man but to his friends
'Tshall not be long but I'll be here again.
It is not impossible but next year I may have the honour of waiting on your Lordship at St. Asaph, If I go to Ireland I certainly will go that way.
“I am convinced, if you were to press this matter earnestly upon her, she would consent.”“It is not impossible but she might,” said Madame de Seidlits […] .
It is not improbable but future observations will add Pliny's Well to the class of irregular reciprocators.
Related words
synonyms
abbur (Chester)
(except): bar, unless, excepting, excluding, with the exception of, without
(however): yet, although, ac
noun
but (plural buts)
An instance of using the word "but"; an objection or caveat.
(Scotland) The outer room of a small two-room cottage.
A limit; a boundary.
The end; especially the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end; the butt.
Examples
It has to be done—no ifs, ands, or buts.
But—and this is a big but—you have to come home by sundown.
"I support you/understand where you're coming from, but..." ¶ No. No "buts" when it comes to other people's survival.
But - and this is a pretty important but - it's just as bad to eat the wrong thing before a workout as it is to eat nothing at all.
verb
but (third-person singular simple present buts, present participle butting, simple past and past participle butted)
(archaic) Use the word "but".
Examples
But me no buts.