BUT, part. for butan.

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. xiii. When pride cometh, then cometh, shame; but with the lowly is wisdom. – Prov. xi. 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.

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.
3. A mark or object of ridicule.
4. The foot of a play.

1. Except; besides; unless. Who can it be, but perjured Lycon? – Smith. 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 wished ability, he had himself / The lands and waters measured. – Shak. 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. – Shak. 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. It is not impossible but I may alter the complexion of my play. – Dryden. 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; as, there is but one man present. A formidable man, but to his friends. – Dryden. This 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. iv. Our affliction is not, except for a moment. If they kill us, we shall but die. – 2 Kings vii. 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.

To be bounded by; to lie contiguous to; a word used in America. [See Abut.]

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. The outer apartment or kitchen of a two-roomed house] -- opposed to ben, the inner room.
   
   
   [Scot.]
3. A limit; a boundary.
4. See Butt, v., and Abut, v.
5. 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.

6. The end; esp. the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end. See 1st Butt.
   
   

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

    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 (?).

    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 but if remedy
    Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see.
    Spenser.

    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 occasion." Bain.