but Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adverb and nothing more
    merely; simply; only; just.
    • I was merely asking
    • it is simply a matter of time
    • just a scratch
    • he was only a child
    • hopes that last but a moment

WordNet

But preposition adverb conjunction
Etymology
OE. bute, buten, AS. btan, without, on the outside, except, besides; pref. be- + tan outward, without, fr. t out. Primarily, btan, as well as t, is an adverb. See By, Out; cf. About.
Definitions
  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.
    ✍ In this sense, but is often used with other particles; as, but for, without, had it not been for. "Uncreated but for love divine." Young.
  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.
    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. ✍ "The chief error with but is to use it where and is enough; an error springing from the tendency to use strong words without sufficient occasio,." Bain.
But noun
Etymology
Cf. But, prep., adv. & conj.
Definitions
  1. The outer apartment or kitchen of a two-roomed house; -- opposed to ben, the inner room. Scot.
But noun
Etymology
See 1st But.
Definitions
  1. A limit; a boundary.
  2. The end; esp. the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end. See 1st Butt.
But intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Butted; present participle & verbal noun Butting
Definitions
  1. See Butt, v., and Abut, v.

Webster 1913