But — Defs

01 prep. Except with; unless with; without.

1.
Except with; unless with; without.[Obs.]
“So insolent that he could not go but either spurning equals or trampling on his inferiors.” — Fuller.

“Touch not the cat but a glove.” — Motto of the Mackintoshes.
2.
Except; besides; save.
“Who can it be, ye gods! but perjured Lycon?” — E. Smith.
3.
Excepting or excluding the fact that; save that; were it not that; unless; -- elliptical, for but that.
“And but my noble Moor is true of mind . . . it were enough to put him to ill thinking.” — Shak.
4.
Otherwise than that; that not; -- commonly, after a negative, with that.
“It cannot be but nature hath some director, of infinite power, to guide her in all her ways.” — Hooker.

“There is no question but the king of Spain will reform most of the abuses.” — Addison.
5.
Only; solely; merely.
“Observe but how their own principles combat one another.” — Milton.

“If they kill us, we shall but die.” — 2 Kings vii. 4.

“A formidable man but to his friends.” — Dryden.
6.
On the contrary; on the other hand; only; yet; still; however; nevertheless; more; further; -- as connective of sentences or clauses of a sentence, in a sense more or less exceptive or adversative; as, the House of Representatives passed the bill, but the Senate dissented; our wants are many, but quite of another kind.
“Now abideth faith hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” — 1 Cor. xiii. 13.

“When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom.” — Prov. xi. 2.

“But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; . . . the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him.” — Luke xii. 45, 46.

“But this I read, that but if remedy Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see.” — Spenser.

Phrases & compounds

All but — See under All.

But and if — but if; an attempt on the part of King James's translators of the Bible to express the conjunctive and adversative force of the Greek �.

Syn. But, However, Still.

These conjunctions mark opposition in passing from one thought or topic to another. But marks the opposition with a medium degree of strength; as, this is not winter, but it is almost as cold; he requested my assistance, but I shall not aid him at present. However is weaker, and throws the opposition (as it were) into the background; as, this is not winter; it is, however, almost as cold; he required my assistance; at present, however, I shall not afford him aid. The plan, however, is still under consideration, and may yet be adopted. Still is stronger than but, and marks the opposition more emphatically; as, your arguments are weighty; still they do not convince me. See Except, However.

02 n. The outer apartment or kitchen of a two-roomed house; -- opposed to ben, the inner room.

1.
The outer apartment or kitchen of a two-roomed house; -- opposed to ben, the inner room.[Scot.]

03 n. A limit; a boundary.

1.
A limit; a boundary.
2.
The end; esp. the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end. Now disused in this sense, being replaced by butt{2}. See 1st Butt. See: butt, Butt

Phrases & compounds

But end — the larger or thicker end; as, the but end of a log; the but end of a musket. See Butt, n.

04 v. i. See Butt, v., and Abut, v.

imp. & p. p. Butted; p. pr. & vb. n. Butting

1.
See Butt, v., and Abut, v. See: Butt, Abut