资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

But \But\ (b[u^]t), prep., adv. & conj. [OE. bute, buten, AS.
   b[=u]tan, without, on the outside, except, besides; pref. be-
   + [=u]tan outward, without, fr. [=u]t out. Primarily,
   b[=u]tan, as well as [=u]t, is an adverb. [root]198. See
   {By}, {Out}; cf. {About}.]
   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.

   Note: 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.

   {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}.

   Usage: 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}.

   Note: ``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.