but

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See also: bút, bût, būt, Bụt, but-, and бут

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has articles on:
Wikipedia

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”), 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.

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

but

  1. Apart from, except (for), excluding.
    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.
    • 2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1-0 Chelsea”, in 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.
  2. (obsolete outside Scotland) Outside of.
    Away but the hoose and tell me whae's there.

Synonyms[edit]

Adverb[edit]

but (not comparable)

  1. (chiefly literary or poetic) Merely, only, just.
    Christmas comes but once a year.
    • 1791, Robert Burns, "Ae Fond Kiss":
      For to see her was to love her,
      Love but her, and love for ever.
    • 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.
    • 1990, Claude de Bèze, 1688 revolution in Siam: the memoir of Father de Bèze, s.j, translated by E. W. Hutchinson, University Press, page 153:
      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.
    • 1611, King James Bible, 2 Kings vii. 4
      If they kill us, we shall but die.
  2. (Australia, Tyneside, conjunctive) Though, however.
    • 1906, Steele Rudd, Back At Our Selection, page 161:
      "Supposin' the chap ain't dead, but?" Regan persisted.
    I'll have to go home early but.
  3. Used as an intensifier.
    Nobody, but nobody, crosses me and gets away with it.
    • 2013 Nora Roberts, Irish Thoroughbred p. 25 (Little, Brown) →ISBN
      "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 […] "

Synonyms[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

but

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
    You told me I could do that, but she said that I could not.
    • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume IV, London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292, book X:
      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.
    • 2013 July 19, Ian Sample, “Irregular bedtimes may affect children's brains”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 34:
      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.
    • 2013 June 29, “Travels and travails”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 55:
      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.
  3. 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.
  4. (archaic) Without its also being the case that; unless that (introducing a necessary concomitant).
    It never rains but it pours.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.vi:
      No arboret with painted blossomes drest, / And smelling sweet, but there it might be found [...]
    • c. 1601, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, II.ii:
      For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so
  5. (obsolete) Except with; unless with; without.
    • (Can we date this quote by Fuller and provide title, author's full name, and other details?)
      So insolent that he could not go but either spurning equals or trampling on his inferiors.
    • (Can we date this quote by Motto of the Mackintoshes and provide title, author's full name, and other details?)
      Touch not the cat but a glove.
  6. (obsolete) Only; solely; merely.
  7. (obsolete) Until.

Usage notes[edit]

  • Beginning a sentence with a coordinating conjunction such as but is considered incorrect by classical grammarians who claim that a coordinating conjunction at the start of a sentence has nothing to connect. The use of the word in this way is very common, however; and it may be argued that the connection is with the preceding context. Nevertheless, it is best to avoid beginning a sentence with but in formal writing. Combining sentences or using however, nevertheless, still, or though is more 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.

Synonyms[edit]

Translations[edit]

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 Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun[edit]

but (plural buts)

  1. An instance or example of using the word "but".
    It has to be done – no ifs or buts.
  2. (Scotland) The outer room of a small two-room cottage.
  3. A limit; a boundary.
  4. The end; especially the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end; the butt.

Verb[edit]

but (third-person singular simple present buts, present participle butting, simple past and past participle butted)

  1. (archaic) Use the word "but".
    But me no buts.

Derived terms[edit]

Terms derived from the preposition, adverb, conjunction, or noun but

References[edit]

  • but at OneLook Dictionary Search
  • but in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams[edit]

Danish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle Low German butt.

Adjective[edit]

but

  1. (rare) blunt

Inflection[edit]

Inflection of but
Positive Comparative Superlative
Common singular but — —2
Neuter singular but — —2
Plural butte — —2
Definite attributive1 butte — —
1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
2) The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

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”). The semantic development from "mound" to "target" is likely from martial training practice (see target). Cognate with Old English butt (“tree stump”). More at butt.

Noun[edit]

but m (plural buts)

  1. aim
  2. goal (result one is attempting to achieve)
  3. (sports) goal (in the place, act, or point sense)
Synonyms[edit]
Related terms[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

From boire.

Verb[edit]

but

  1. third-person singular past historic of boire

Further reading[edit]

Maltese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

but m (plural bwiet)

  1. pocket

Middle English[edit]

Noun[edit]

but

  1. (Northern) Alternative form of bote (“boot”)

Polish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

but m inan

  1. shoe
  2. boot

Declension[edit]

declension of but
singular plural
nominative but buty
genitive buta butów
dative butowi butom
accusative but buty
instrumental butem butami
locative bucie butach
vocative bucie buty

Derived terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • but in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Romani[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Sanskrit बहुत्व (bahutva, “much, many, very”). Cognate with Hindi बहुत (bahut).

Adjective[edit]

but (comparative majbut, superlative legmajbut)

  1. many
    But rroma mekhle i India thaj gele p-e aver phuva.
    Many Roma left India and went towards other lands.
  2. much
  3. very

Scots[edit]

Noun[edit]

but (plural buts)

  1. The outer room of a small two-room cottage.

Preposition[edit]

but

  1. Outside of, without.

Serbo-Croatian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish بوت‎ (but)

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

bȕt m (Cyrillic spelling бу̏т)

  1. thigh
  2. ham

Declension[edit]

Declension of but
singular plural
nominative bȕt bùtovi
genitive buta butova
dative butu butovima
accusative but butove
vocative bute butovi
locative butu butovima
instrumental butom butovima

References[edit]

  • “but” in Hrvatski jezični portal

Turkish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Ottoman Turkish بود‎ (bud), بوت‎ (but), from Proto-Turkic. Compare Old Turkic [script needed] (būt).

Noun[edit]

but (definite accusative butu, plural butlar)

  1. thigh

Synonyms[edit]

Volapük[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

but (nominative plural buts)

  1. boot

Declension[edit]

declension of but
singular plural
nominative but buts
genitive buta butas
dative bute butes
accusative buti butis
vocative 1 o but! o buts!
predicative 2 butu butus
  • 1 status as a case is disputed
  • 2 in later, non-classical Volapük only

Westrobothnian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Norse bútr, likely in ablaut relation to Old Norse bauta, Old High German bōzan, Old English bēatan, English beat. Compare Jamtish búss, Norwegian butt, buss.

Pronunciation 1[edit]

Noun[edit]

but m (definite butn)

  1. A thick stick.
  2. A piece, clod, lump.
  3. In general that which is bulky and shapeless.
    En but dill kall
    a big and fat man
  4. A cumulus cloud.
Derived terms[edit]

Pronunciation 2[edit]

Verb[edit]

but

  1. To earth up potatoes with a certain kind of plough.
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