but
/ˈbʌt/ preposition, adverb, conjunction, noun, verb, proper noun
Also a form of butt
Forms buts butting butted
- preposition Apart from, except (for), excluding. “Everyone but Father left early.”
- preposition (obsolete outside Scotland) Outside of. “Away but the hoose and tell me whae's there.”
- adverb (chiefly literary or poetic) Merely, only, just, no more than. “Christmas comes but once a year, so we can but wait till then.”
- adverb (Australia, Geordie, Scotland, conjunctive) Though, however. “I'll have to go home early but.”
- adverb Used to repeat an adverb for emphasis; simply; just; absolutely. “I would never, but never do such a thing!”
- conjunction However, although, nevertheless, on the other hand (introducing a clause contrary to prior belief or in contrast with the preceding clause or sentence). “She is very old but still attractive.”
- conjunction 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). “I am not rich but [I am] poor. Not John but Peter went there.”
- conjunction (colloquial) Used at the beginning of a sentence to express opposition to a remark. “But I never said you could do that!”
- conjunction Except that (introducing a subordinate clause which qualifies a negative statement); also, (archaic) with omission of the subject of the subordinate clause, acting as a negative relative, "except one that", "except such that". “I cannot but feel offended.”
- conjunction (colloquial) Used to link an interjection to the following remark as an intensifier. “Wow! But that's amazing!”
- conjunction (archaic) Without it also being the case that; unless that (introducing a necessary concomitant). “It never rains but it pours”
- conjunction (obsolete) Except with; unless with; without.
- conjunction (obsolete) Only; solely; merely.
- noun An instance of using the word "but"; an objection or caveat. “It has to be done—no ifs, ands, or buts.”
- noun (Scotland) The outer room of a small two-room cottage.
- noun A limit; a boundary.
- noun The end; especially the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end; the butt.
- verb (archaic or rare and humorous) Use the word "but". “But me no buts.”
- proper noun A surname.
Synonyms
barring except for save for apart apart from aside aside from bar besides but for except excepting excluding forby modulo not counting other than outtake save saving merely simply just only
Etymology
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.
Webster’s 1913
- preposition Except with; unless with; without. [Obs.]
- preposition Except; besides; save.
- noun The outer apartment or kitchen of a two-roomed house; --opposed to ben, the inner room. [Scot.]
- noun A limit; a boundary.
Etymology [OE. bute, buten, AS. b, without, on the outside, except, besides; pref. be- + outward, without, fr. out. Primarily, b, as well as , is an adverb. sq. root198. See By, Out; cf. About.]
Etymology [Cf. But, prep., adv. & conj.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “but”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details