but

but

but¹ [but; ] unstressed [ bət]

prep.

[ME < OE butan, buton, without, outside; WGmc comp. < * be-, *bi-,BY + * utana, from without: see OUT]

1. with the exception of; excepting; save [nobody came but me ]: earlier, and still sometimes, regarded as a conjunction and followed by the nominative case [ nobody came but I (came) ]

2. except; other than: used with an infinitive as the object [we cannot choose but (to) stay]

conj.

1. and in spite of this; and even so; yet [he is a villain, but he has some virtues]

2. and on the contrary [I am old, but you are young]

3. unless; except that [it never rains but it pours]

4. that [I don't question but you're correct]

5. that . . . not [it's not so high but we can jump it]

adv.

1. only [if I had but known]

2. merely; no more than; not otherwise than [he is but a child]

3. just [I heard it but now]

4. on the other hand; yet: used to introduce a sentence

5. Slang absolutely; positively [he did it, but good]

pron.

who . . . not; which . . . not [not a man but felt it]

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but for

if it were not for

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but that Informal or but what

1. about the fact that [I've no doubt but that he'll come]

2. that there is not some chance that [we can't be sure but that he's right]: Also Informal but what

but² [but]

n.

[akin to BUT¹]

Scot. the outer room, esp. the kitchen, of a cottage

the outer room, esp. the kitchen, of a cottage

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but and ben

Scot. the whole dwelling: orig., the outer and inner rooms of a two-room cottage