but
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
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.
Pronunciation [edit]
- (stressed) (UK) IPA: /bʌt/, [bɐt], enPR: bŭt, X-SAMPA: /bVt/, [b6t]
- (stressed) (US) IPA: /bʌt/, enPR: bŭt, X-SAMPA: /bVt/
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Audio (US) (file) - (unstressed) IPA: /bət/, enPR: bət, X-SAMPA: /b@t/
- Rhymes: -ʌt
- Homophone: butt
Preposition [edit]
but
- {{obsolete|except in|_|Scotland, see [[but#Scots|below}} Outside of.
- Away but the hoose and tell me whae's there.
- Without, apart from, except.
- Everyone but Father left early.
- I like everything but that.
Adverb [edit]
but (not comparable)
- Merely, only.
- 1900, L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:
- Now the Wicked Witch of the West had but one eye, yet that was as powerful as a telescope, and could see everywhere.
- 1977, Alistair Horne, A Savage War of Peace, New York Review Books 2006, p. 49:
- The stony outcrops are often covered but thinly with arable soil; winters are bitingly cold, and rainfall scanty and unpredictable.
- 1900, L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:
- (Australia) (conjunctive) Though, however.
- I'll have to go home early but.
Conjunction [edit]
but
- Except (for), excluding. Preceded by a negation.
- I have no choice but to leave.
- 2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1 - 0 Chelsea”, BBC Sport:
- 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.
- On the contrary, but rather (introducing a word or clause that contrasts with or contradicts the preceding clause or sentence without the not).
- I am not rich but (I am) poor.
- Not John but Peter went there.
- However, although, nevertheless (implies that the following clause is contrary to prior belief or contrasts with or contradicts the preceding clause or sentence).
- She is very old but still attractive.
- You told me I could do that, but she said that I could not.
- 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".
- I cannot but feel offended.
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.15:
- There is no reason but hath another contrary unto it, saith the wisest party of Philosophers.
- 1820, John Keats, ‘Lamia’, Lamia & Other Poems:
- 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.
- Without it also being the case that; unless that (introducing a necessary concomitant).
- It never rains but it pours.
Usage notes [edit]
- Beginning a sentence with a coordinating conjunction such as but is considered incorrect by classical grammarians arguing that a coordinating conjunction at the start of a sentence has nothing to connect, but use of the word in this way is very common. It is, however, best to avoid beginning a sentence with but in formal writing. Combining sentences or using however, nevertheless, still, or though is appropriate for the formal style.
- But this tool has its uses.
- This tool has its uses, however.
- Nevertheless, this tool has its uses.
- Still, this tool has its uses.
- This tool still has its uses.
- This tool has its uses, though.
- The use of the word but preceded by a comma is also considered incorrect by classical grammarians.
- I was very tired, but I decided to continue.
- It was a lovely day, but rain looked likely.
Synonyms [edit]
- (except): bar, unless, excepting, excluding, with the exception of, without
- (however): yet, although, ac
Translations [edit]
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Noun [edit]
but (plural buts)
- An instance or example of using the word "but".
- It has to be done – no ifs or buts.
- (Scotland) The outer room of a small two-room cottage.
Derived terms [edit]
Statistics [edit]
Anagrams [edit]
Danish [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Middle Low German.
Adjective [edit]
but
- (rare) blunt
Synonyms [edit]
Antonyms [edit]
French [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
From Middle French but (“mark, goal”), from Old French but (“aim, goal, end, target”), from Old French butte (“mound, knoll, target”), from Frankish *but (“stump, log”), or from Old Norse bútr (“log, stump, butt”); both from Proto-Germanic *butą (“end, piece”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰÀud- (“to beat, push”). Cognate with Old English butt (“tree stump”). More at butt.
Noun [edit]
but m (plural buts)
Synonyms [edit]
Related terms [edit]
Etymology 2 [edit]
From boire.
Verb form [edit]
but
- Third-person singular indicative simple past of boire
Maltese [edit]
Noun [edit]
but m
Polish [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
but m
Declension [edit]
Romani [edit]
Adjective [edit]
but (comparative majbut, superlative legmajbut)
Scots [edit]
Noun [edit]
but (plural buts)
Preposition [edit]
but
Serbo-Croatian [edit]
Etymology [edit]
Noun [edit]
bȕt m (Cyrillic spelling бу̏т)
Declension [edit]
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | bȕt | bùtovi |
| genitive | buta | butova |
| dative | butu | butovima |
| accusative | but | butove |
| vocative | bute | butovi |
| locative | butu | butovima |
| instrumental | butom | butovima |
Turkish [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Old Turkic būt, from Proto-Turkic.
Noun [edit]
but
Synonyms [edit]
Volapük [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
- IPA: /but/
Noun [edit]
but (plural buts)
Declension [edit]
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English words prefixed with be-
- English terms with homophones
- English prepositions
- English adverbs
- Australian English
- English conjunctions
- English nouns
- Scottish English
- 100 English basic words
- English coordinating conjunctions
- English focus adverbs
- Danish terms derived from Middle Low German
- Danish adjectives
- Danish terms with rare senses
- French terms derived from Middle French
- French terms derived from Old French
- French terms derived from Frankish
- French terms derived from Old Norse
- French terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- French terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- French nouns
- French masculine nouns
- French countable nouns
- fr:Sports
- French verb forms
- Entries using form-of templates with a raw link/form of lacking lang
- fr:Football (Soccer)
- fr:Handball
- fr:Hockey
- Maltese nouns
- Polish nouns
- Polish masculine nouns
- pl:Footwear
- Romani adjectives
- Scots nouns
- Scots prepositions
- Serbo-Croatian terms derived from Turkish
- Serbo-Croatian nouns
- Serbo-Croatian masculine nouns
- Turkish terms derived from Old Turkic
- Turkish terms derived from Proto-Turkic
- Turkish nouns
- Volapük nouns
- vo:Footwear