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.
1
Apart from, except (for), excluding.
Everyone but Father left early.
I like everything but that.
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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.2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1-0 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:
2
Outside of.
Obsolete outside Scotland
Away but the hoose and tell me whae's there.
but
adv
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.
Christmas comes but once a year, so we can but wait till then.
[…] if they kill vs, we shall but die.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Kings 7:4:
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For to see her was to love her, Love but her, and love for ever.1791, Robert Burns, Ae Fond Kiss:
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.1854 August 9, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, “Economy”, in Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC:
Now the Wicked Witch of the West had but one eye, yet that was as powerful as a telescope, and could see everywhere.1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:
Black Knight: "'Tis but a scratch." King Arthur: "A scratch? Your arm's off!"1975, Monty Python, Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
"Supposin' the chap ain't dead, but?" Regan persisted.1906, "Steele Rudd", Back At Our Selection, page 161:
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‘I didn’t like that sheila that tried to latch onto him, but.’1982, Paul Radley, My Blue-Checker Corker and Me, Sydney: Fontana/Collins, page 16:
3
Used to repeat an adverb for emphasis; simply; just; absolutely.
I would never, but never do such a thing!
“I would never,” said Joan, as she backed the car and worked on the wheel, “but never have allowed my child to go abroad with that old Lesbian.”1957 March 7, Vladimir Nabokov, chapter 6.11, in Pnin, Heinemann, page 166:
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The Nobel prize for literature is announced tomorrow lunchtime so it's time for the usual annual guessing game here on the Books desk, safe in the knowledge that we always, but always, get it wrong.2009 October 7, Michelle Pauli, “Who will win the Nobel prize for literature?”, in The Guardian:
but
conj
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.
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.
She’s welcomed them but been rude to us.
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You told me I could do that, but she said that I could not.
2
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.
It’s not so much that we don’t wanna go, but I just haven’t time.
3
Colloquial Used at the beginning of a sentence to express opposition to a remark.
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.1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume IV, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book X:
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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 July 19, Ian Sample, “Irregular bedtimes may affect children's brains”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 34:
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.2013 June 29, “Travels and travails”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 55:
4
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.
My kid does nothing but watch TV all day.
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And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be rememberèd—1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
There is no reason but hath another contrary unto it, saith the wisest party of Philosophers.1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 15, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
And but my noble Moor is true of mind […] it were enough to put him to ill thinking.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:
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.1819, John Keats, “Lamia”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1820, →OCLC, part II, page 43:
5
Colloquial Used to link an interjection to the following remark as an intensifier.
Wow! But that's amazing!
Oh, the engineers would see him sitting in the shade / Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made / People passing by, they would stop and say / "Oh, my, but that little country boy could play"1958 March 31, Chuck Berry, “Johnny B. Goode”, performed by Chuck Berry:
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Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet? / Ooh, but they're so spaced out / B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets / Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful / Oh, Bennie, she's really keen1974 February 4, “Bennie and the Jets”, in Elton John (lyrics), Bernie Taupin (music), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, performed by Elton John, Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson, track 3:
"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 […]"2013, Nora Roberts, Irish Thoroughbred, Little, Brown, →ISBN, page 25:
6
Archaic Without it also being the case that; unless that (introducing a necessary concomitant).
It never rains but it pours
I never hear this song but I think of you.
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No arboret with painted blossomes drest, / And smelling sweet, but there it might be found […]1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it soc. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
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.1639, Thomas Fuller, “Unseasonable Discords betwixt King Baldwine and His Mother; Her Strength in Yeelding to Her Sonne”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book II, page 84:
Observe but how their own principles combat one another.1641 May, John Milton, Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England: And the Causes that hitherto have Hindred it. […], [London]: […] Thomas Vnderhill, →OCLC:
a formidable man but to his friends1717, John Dryden [et al.], “(please specify |book=I to XV)”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
'Tshall not be long but I'll be here again.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
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.1784, Joshua Reynolds, edited by John Ingamells and John Edgcumbe, The Letters of Sir Joshua Reynolds, Yale, published 2000, page 131:
“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 […].1789, John Moore, Zeluco, Valancourt, published 2008, page 132:
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It is not improbable but future observations will add Pliny's Well to the class of irregular reciprocators.1813 July, Journal of Natural Philosophy:
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.
1
An instance of using the word "but"; an objection or caveat.
It has to be done—no ifs, ands, or buts.
But—and this is a big but—you have to come home by sundown.
3 more examples
The children are taught to be afraid of winter, of war, of death, of hard times, of disease, of examtinations. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that children so seldom find the conversation of their elders uplifting. It is full of don’ts, buts and nots.1922 March 4, “Fed on Fear Too Much”, in The Pathfinder, volume 29, number 1470, Washington, D.C.: Pathfinder Publishing Company, page 33:
"I support you/understand where you're coming from, but..." ¶ No. No "buts" when it comes to other people's survival.2016 December 28, Concepcion de Leon, “5 Things Well-Meaning People Say to Me That Are Actually Really Offensive”, in Glamour, Greenwich, C.T.; […]: Condé Nast Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 Feb 2023:
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.2018 September 17, Catriona Harvey-Jenner, “8 foods you should never eat before a workout”, in Cosmopolitan, New York, N.Y.: Hearst Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Jan 2023:
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.