Linked Questions
14 questions linked to/from "All but" idiom has two meanings?
6
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"All but convinced" as a way of saying that one is, in fact, convinced? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“All but” idiom has two meanings?
It seems kind of counterintuitive, but saying that:
I'm all but convinced that ponies eat leprechauns.
means
I'm ...
- 293
6
votes
2
answers
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"He all but [did something]" [duplicate]
Possible Duplicates:
“All but” idiom has two meanings?
“to be all but X”
He all but ran out of the building
If I understand it correctly (English is not my native ...
- 495
6
votes
1
answer
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Does "but one" mean "only one" or "except one"? [duplicate]
Does "but one" mean "only one" or "except one"?
This phrase shows up in the song "Love is an Open Door" from the movie "Frozen". The relevant line is "Our mental synchronization can have but one ...
- 61
-1
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3
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"All but" - what does it mean? [duplicate]
I actually have a very naive question. When someone says
All but five people have left the town.
What does it actually mean? Have 5 people left the town or has everyone else left, with only 5 ...
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5
votes
0
answers
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Can you clarify usage of "all but..."? [duplicate]
Example sentence:
"As the concert ended, the atmosphere was all but ecstatic."
Replace words with synonyms:
all = everything
but = except
The sentence would appear:
"...the atmosphere was ...
- 151
39
votes
5
answers
272k
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What is the difference between "nothing but", "anything but", and "everything but"?
What is the difference between these phrases? When is it valid to use which? Should they be avoided as being ambiguous?
- 1,101
8
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5
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"Can’t help but" vs. "can help but"
Is "can’t help but" considered to be a confused mix of the expressions "can but" and "can’t help"? If not, what is the difference between "can help but" and "can’t help but"?
- 4,414
19
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2
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The construction of "Known but to God"
The Tomb of the Unknown Solider has the engraving "KNOWN BUT TO GOD", as presumably no man knows his name, but shouldn't it read "unknown, but to God", as the default for everyone is "unknown", with ...
- 1,234
2
votes
1
answer
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"all but one refused to do" means everyone do it or only one did it? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“all but at most one” - What does it mean?
When a sentence has this phrase: "....which all but one refused to do."
Does it mean all refused to do and only one did ...
- 1,623
1
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1
answer
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"But Only" - How to Figure Out the Meaning?
I first cite the definitions of "but" as an adverb or preposition:
adverb : no more than; only.
Preposition: except; apart from; other than:
Could someone please elucidate/explicate but only below?
...
user50720
3
votes
1
answer
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Difference between "but" and "nothing but"
Every now and then I stumble about a construction like this:
It was but something....
and I understand it to be
It was nothing but....
or
It was only...
depending on the context.
I do ...
- 1,505
2
votes
1
answer
2k
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Interpreting the meaning of 'but' as an implication for exclusion/inclusion
I often find it difficult to interpret the meaning of but in some of the sentences where it is used to imply exclusion/inclusion. For example: Drink everything you want but alcohol.
Also, sometimes ...
user2532
2
votes
0
answers
3k
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"All, but her, " vs. "All, but she, had" [duplicate]
All, but her, had made an attempt.
All, but she, had made an attempt.
If all is the subject of the sentence, should I use a subject or object in the parenthesis statement? Why?
Is this correct ...
0
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0
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Difference between anything but and anything other than? [duplicate]
If I say "anything but ordinary", it means it is not ordinary, it is unique and different.
What if "anything other than ordinary"? Does it mean the same as "anything but ordinary" or does it simplify ...
