butconjunction
ukstrong /bʌt/weak /bət/usstrong /bʌt/weak /bət/A1 used to introduce an added statement, usually something that is different from what you have said before:
She's very hard-working but not very imaginative.
This is not caused by evil, but by simple ignorance.
The play's good, but not that good - I've seen better.
I'm sorry, but I think you're wrong when you say she did it deliberately.
Call me old-fashioned, but I like handwritten letters.
I can understand his unhappiness. But to attempt suicide!
"She said she's leaving." "But why?"
You can invite Keith to the party, but please don't ask that friend of his.
We must not complain about the problem, but (= instead we must) help to put it right.
She's not a painter but a writer (= she is a writer, not a painter).
She's not only a painter but also a writer (= she is both).
UK He said he hadn't been there, but then (= it is not surprising that) he would say that.
UK I think it's true, but then (= it should be understood that), I'm no expert.
More examples
- We ran after him, but he escaped.
- It's a nice dress, but it creases very easily.
- He looked disappointed at their decision, but didn't argue.
- Everyone in the office complains that he smells awful, but nobody dares mention it to him.
- I haven't got any grapefruit juice, but I've got some orange juice. Will that do?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: connecting words which express a contrast
- after
- again
- any way you slice it idiom
- at any rate idiom
- at least idiom
- best
- disjunctive
- given
- however
- least
- might
- never
- nevertheless
- no thanks to sb idiom
- rate
- seeing (that)
- slice
- though
- tooth
- when
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butpreposition, conjunction
ukstrong /bʌt//bət/us/bʌt//bət/B1 except:
Eventually, all but one of them promised to come to his birthday party.
He's anything but violent (= not violent in any way).
I would have crashed the car but for your warning.
This is the last episode but one (= one before the last) of the series.
She's one of those guests who does nothing but complain.
This car has been nothing but trouble - it's always breaking down!
More examples
- I've received replies from everybody but Jane.
- In these cases there is no choice but to amputate.
- For miles you could see nothing but flooded fields.
- He felt nothing but contempt for her.
- Poor farmers have little option but to try to grow food on these infertile soils.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Excluding
- acid-free
- alienate
- apart
- bar
- barring
- count
- cut
- discount
- exclude
- excluding
- exclusion
- exclusive
- exclusively
- freeze sb out
- hold
- otherwise
- out of it idiom
- present
- present company excepted idiom
- send
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butadverb
ukstrong /bʌt//bət/us/bʌt//bət/but adverb (FOR EMPHASIS)
used to give force to a statement:
Everyone, but everyone, will be there.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: very & extreme
- abject
- awful
- badly
- beyond
- classic
- classical
- devastating
- drop dead! idiom
- eminently
- esp
- especially
- heartily
- impossibly
- rather
- sheer
- specially
- supremely
- thoroughly
- whole
- wide
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but adverb (ONLY)
formal only; just:
She's but a young girl!
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Merely and barely
- all
- all of sth idiom
- at a pinch idiom
- barely
- by a whisker idiom
- by inches idiom
- hardly
- ill
- inch
- just
- merely
- merest
- narrowly
- nothing more than idiom
- only
- pinch
- scarcely
- whisker
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butnoun
ukstrong /bʌt//bət/us/bʌt//bət/no buts (about it)
used to emphasize that something will happen even if the person you are talking to does not want it to:
We're going to visit your aunt tomorrow and there'll be no buts about it.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Complaining
- beef
- bewail
- bugger, sod, etc. this for a lark! idiom
- cavil
- chunter
- complainant
- complaint
- groan
- grouse
- harp
- harp on (about sth)
- huff and puff idiom
- kick
- lodge
- make a noise about sth idiom
- nark
- protest
- quibble
- squeal
- whinger
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