But and if

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.]
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            So insolent that he could not go but either spurning
            equals or trampling on his inferiors. --Fuller.
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            Touch not the cat but a glove.        --Motto of the
                                                  Mackintoshes.
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   2. Except; besides; save.
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            Who can it be, ye gods! but perjured Lycon? --E.
                                                  Smith.
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   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.
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   3. Excepting or excluding the fact that; save that; were it
      not that; unless; -- elliptical, for but that.
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            And but my noble Moor is true of mind . . . it were
            enough to put him to ill thinking.    --Shak.
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   4. Otherwise than that; that not; -- commonly, after a
      negative, with that.
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            It cannot be but nature hath some director, of
            infinite power, to guide her in all her ways.
                                                  --Hooker.
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            There is no question but the king of Spain will
            reform most of the abuses.            --Addison.
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   5. Only; solely; merely.
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            Observe but how their own principles combat one
            another.                              --Milton.
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            If they kill us, we shall but die.    --2 Kings vii.
                                                  4.
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            A formidable man but to his friends.  --Dryden.
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   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.
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            Now abideth faith hope, charity, these three; but
            the greatest of these is charity.     --1 Cor. xiii.
                                                  13.
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            When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the
            lowly is wisdom.                      --Prov. xi. 2.
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   {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 ?.
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            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.
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   {But if}, unless. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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            But this I read, that but if remedy
            Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see.
                                                  --Spenser.
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   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}.
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   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.
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