but what

Variant of but

but definition

but (but; unstressed bət)

  1. with the exception of; excepting; save [nobody came but me]: earlier, and still sometimes, regarded as a conjunction and followed by the nominative case [nobody came but I (came)]
  2. except; other than: used with an infinitive as the object we cannot choose but (to) stay

Etymology: ME < OE butan, buton, without, outside; WGmc comp. < *be-, *bi-, by + *utana, from without: see out

conjunction

  1. and in spite of this; and even so; yet he is a villain, but he has some virtues
  2. and on the contrary I am old, but you are young
  3. unless; except that it never rains but it pours
  4. that I don't question but you're correct
  5. that . . . not it's not so high but we can jump it

adverb

  1. only if I had but known
  2. merely; no more than; not otherwise than he is but a child
  3. just I heard it but now
  4. on the other hand; yet: used to introduce a sentence
  5. Slang absolutely; positively he did it, but good

pronoun

who . . . not; which . . . not not a man but felt it
but Idioms

but for

if it were not for

but that

  1. about the fact that I've no doubt but that he'll come
  2. that there is not some chance that we can't be sure but that he's right
Also Informalbut what

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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