Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
But
But
(bŭt)
, p
, rep.
adv.
& conj.
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. Shakespeare
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 kindNow 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.
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 [GREEK].
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 if
, unless.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
But this I read, that
Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see.
but if
remedyThou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see.
Spenser.
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,
. However is weaker, and throws the opposition (as it were) into the background; but
it is almost as cold; he requested my assistance, but I shall not aid him at presentas, this is not winter; it is,
Still is stronger than but, and marks the opposition more emphatically; 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. as, your arguments are weighty;
See still
they do not convince me. 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 occasion.”
Bain.
But
,Noun.
[Cf.
But
, p
] rep.
, adv.
& conj.
The outer apartment or kitchen of a two-roomed house; – opposed to
ben
, the inner room. [Scot.]
1.
A limit; a boundary.
But end
, But
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Butted
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Butting
.] {
, Butt
,But
}Noun.
[F. ]
but
butt, aim (cf. butte
knoll), or bout
, OF. bot
, end, extremity, fr. boter
, buter
, to push, butt, strike, F. bouter
; of German origin; cf. OHG. bōzan
, akin to E. beat
. See Beat
, Verb.
T.
1.
A limit; a bound; a goal; the extreme bound; the end.
Here is my journey's end, here my
And very sea mark of my utmost sail.
butt
And very sea mark of my utmost sail.
Shakespeare
☞ As applied to land, the word is nearly synonymous with mete, and signifies properly the end line or boundary; the abuttal.
3.
A mark to be shot at; a target.
Sir W. Scott.
The groom his fellow groom at
And bends his bow, and levels with his eyes.
butts
defies,And bends his bow, and levels with his eyes.
Dryden.
4.
A person at whom ridicule, jest, or contempt is directed;
as, the
. butt
of the companyI played a sentence or two at my
butt
, which I thought very smart. Addison.
5.
A push, thrust, or sudden blow, given by the head of an animal;
as, the
. butt
of a ram6.
A thrust in fencing.
To prove who gave the fairer
John shows the chalk on Robert's coat.
butt
,John shows the chalk on Robert's coat.
Prior.
7.
A piece of land left unplowed at the end of a field.
The hay was growing upon headlands and
butts
in cornfields. Burrill.
8.
(Mech.)
(a)
A joint where the ends of two objects come squarely together without scarfing or chamfering; – also called
butt joint
. (b)
The end of a connecting rod or other like piece, to which the boxing is attached by the strap, cotter, and gib.
(c)
The portion of a half-coupling fastened to the end of a hose.
9.
(Shipbuilding)
The joint where two planks in a strake meet.
10.
(Carp.)
A kind of hinge used in hanging doors, etc.; – so named because fastened on the edge of the door, which butts against the casing, instead of on its face, like the strap hinge; also called
butt hinge
. 11.
(Leather Trade)
The thickest and stoutest part of tanned oxhides, used for soles of boots, harness, trunks.
12.
The hut or shelter of the person who attends to the targets in rifle practice.
Butt chain
(Saddlery)
, a short chain attached to the end of a tug.
– Butt end
. The thicker end of anything. See
But end
, under 2d But
.Amen; and make me die a good old man!
That's the
That's the
butt end
of a mother's blessing. Shakespeare
A butt's length
, the ordinary distance from the place of shooting to the butt, or mark.
– Butts and bounds
(Conveyancing)
, abuttals and boundaries. In lands of the ordinary rectangular shape, butts are the lines at the ends (F. bouts), and bounds are those on the sides, or sidings, as they were formerly termed.
Burrill.
– Bead and butt
. See under
– Bead
. Butt and butt
, joining end to end without overlapping, as planks.
– Butt weld
(Mech.)
, a butt joint, made by welding together the flat ends, or edges, of a piece of iron or steel, or of separate pieces, without having them overlap. See
– Weld
. Full butt
, headfirst with full force.
[Colloq.]
“The corporal . . . ran full butt at the lieutenant.” Marryat.
Webster 1828 Edition
But
BUT
, part. for butan.1.
Except; besides;unless.Who can it be, but perjured Lycon?
That is, removed, separated, excepted.
Lycon being separated, or excepted, who can it be?
And but infirmity,
Which waits upon worn times, hath something seized
His wish'd ability, he had himself
The lands and waters measured.
That is, except,unless, separate this fact, that infirmity had seized his ability,he had measured the lands and waters.
In this use but, butan, is a participle equivalent to excepting, and may be referred to the person speaking, or more naturally, it is equivalent to excepted,and with the following words, or clause,forming the case absolute.
Who can it be,Lycon being excepted?
And but my noble Moor is true of mind, it were enough to put him to ill thinking.
It cannot be but nature hath some director, of infinite power, to guide her in all her ways.
There is no question but the King of Spain will reform most of the abuses.
It is not impossible but I may alter the complexion of my play.
In the last three examples, that is omitted after but.
It is not impossible but that I may alter the complexion of my play.
In these and all similar phrases,but denotes separation, exception.
2.
Only.A formidable man, but to his friends.
There is but one man present.use of but is a modern innovation; but perhaps too firmly established to be corrected. In all such phrases, a negative, not, nothing, or other word,is omitted. He is not a formidable man, but to his enemies, that is, except. There is not but one man present, that is, there is not except or besides one present. So also, 'Our light affliction is but for a moment.' 2 Cor. 4. Our affliction is not, except for a moment.
If they kill us, we shall but die. 2 Kings.7.
The common people in America retain the original and correct phrase,usually employing a negative. They do not say, I have but one. On the other hand, they say, I have not but one, that is, I have not except one; except one, and I have none. This word but for butan is not a conjunction, nor has it the least affinity to that part of speech.
BUT
, cong. [Eng.over.]More; further; noting an addition to supply what is wanting to elucidate, or modify the sense of the preceding part of a sentence, or of a discourse, or to continue the discourse, or to exhibit a contrast.
Now abide faith, hope, charity, these three;
but, the greatest of these is charity. 1 Cor.13.
When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the
lowly is wisdom. Prov. 11.
Our wants are many and grievous; but quite of another
kind.
The house of representatives were well agreed in passing the bill; but the senate dissented.
This word is in fact a noun equivalent to addition or supply; but in grammatical construction, no inconvenience results from considering it to be a connective.
BUT
,Noun.
1.
An end; a limit; a bound. It is used particularly for the larger end of a thing, as of a piece of timber, or of a fallen tree; that which grows nearest the earth. It is not often applied to the bound or limit of land; yet butted,for bounded, is often used.2.
The end of a plank in a ship's side or bottom, which unites with another; generally written butt.BUT
,Verb.
I.