but

[[t]bʌt[/t]] unstressed [[t]bət[/t]]

conj.

1) fun on the contrary:

My brother went, but I did not[/ex]

2) and yet; nevertheless:

strange but true[/ex]

3) fun except; save:

did nothing but complain[/ex]

4) fun without the circumstance that:

It never rains but it pours[/ex]

5) fun otherwise than:

There is no hope but by prayer[/ex]

6) fun that (used esp. after doubt, deny, etc., with a negative):

I don't doubt but you'll do it[/ex]

7) fun that … not:

No leaders ever existed but they were optimists[/ex]

8) fun (used to introduce an exclamatory expression):

But that's wonderful![/ex]

9) cvb fun Informal. than:

It no sooner started raining but it stopped[/ex]

10) with the exception of:

No one replied but me[/ex]

11) other than:

nothing but trouble[/ex]

12) only; just:

There is but one answer[/ex]

13) cvb buts, reservations or objections:

You'll do as you're told, no buts about it[/ex]

•

- but for

Etymology: bef. 900; ME buten, OE būtan for phrase be ūtan on the outside, without usage: When but is understood as a conjunction and the pronoun following it is understood as the subject of an incompletely expressed clause, the pronoun is in the subjective case: Everyone lost faith in the plan but she (did not lose faith). In virtually identical contexts, when but is understood as a preposition, the pronoun following it is in the objective case: Everyone lost faith but her. The prepositional use is more common. When but and its following pronoun occur near the beginning of a sentence, the subjective case often appears: Everyone but she lost faith in the plan. See also and, doubt, than