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19 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  All \All\, adv.
     1. Wholly; completely; altogether; entirely; quite; very; as,
        all bedewed; my friend is all for amusement. ``And cheeks
        all pale.'' --Byron.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In the ancient phrases, all too dear, all too much, all
           so long, etc., this word retains its appropriate sense
           or becomes intensive.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Even; just. (Often a mere intensive adjunct.) [Obs. or
        Poet.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              All as his straying flock he fed.     --Spenser.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              A damsel lay deploring
              All on a rock reclined.               --Gay.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     All to, or All-to. In such phrases as ``all to rent,''
        ``all to break,'' ``all-to frozen,'' etc., which are of
        frequent occurrence in our old authors, the all and the to
        have commonly been regarded as forming a compound adverb,
        equivalent in meaning to entirely, completely, altogether.
        But the sense of entireness lies wholly in the word all
        (as it does in ``all forlorn,'' and similar expressions),
        and the to properly belongs to the following word, being a
        kind of intensive prefix (orig. meaning asunder and
        answering to the LG. ter-, HG. zer-). It is frequently to
        be met with in old books, used without the all. Thus
        Wyclif says, ``The vail of the temple was to rent:'' and
        of Judas, ``He was hanged and to-burst the middle:'' i.
        e., burst in two, or asunder.
  
     All along. See under Along.
  
     All and some, individually and collectively, one and all.
        [Obs.] ``Displeased all and some.'' --Fairfax.
  
     All but.
        (a) Scarcely; not even. [Obs.] --Shak.
        (b) Almost; nearly. ``The fine arts were all but
            proscribed.'' --Macaulay.
  
     All hollow, entirely, completely; as, to beat any one all
        hollow. [Low]
  
     All one, the same thing in effect; that is, wholly the same
        thing.
  
     All over, over the whole extent; thoroughly; wholly; as,
        she is her mother all over. [Colloq.]
  
     All the better, wholly the better; that is, better by the
        whole difference.
  
     All the same, nevertheless. ``There they [certain
        phenomena] remain rooted all the same, whether we
        recognize them or not.'' --J. C. Shairp. ``But Rugby is a
        very nice place all the same.'' --T. Arnold. -- See also
        under All, n.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  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.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              So insolent that he could not go but either spurning
              equals or trampling on his inferiors. --Fuller.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Touch not the cat but a glove.        --Motto of the
                                                    Mackintoshes.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Except; besides; save.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Who can it be, ye gods! but perjured Lycon? --E.
                                                    Smith.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Excepting or excluding the fact that; save that; were it
        not that; unless; -- elliptical, for but that.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              And but my noble Moor is true of mind . . . it were
              enough to put him to ill thinking.    --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Otherwise than that; that not; -- commonly, after a
        negative, with that.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              It cannot be but nature hath some director, of
              infinite power, to guide her in all her ways.
                                                    --Hooker.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              There is no question but the king of Spain will
              reform most of the abuses.            --Addison.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. Only; solely; merely.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Observe but how their own principles combat one
              another.                              --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              If they kill us, we shall but die.    --2 Kings vii.
                                                    4.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              A formidable man but to his friends.  --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Now abideth faith hope, charity, these three; but
              the greatest of these is charity.     --1 Cor. xiii.
                                                    13.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the
              lowly is wisdom.                      --Prov. xi. 2.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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 ?.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     But if, unless. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              But this I read, that but if remedy
              Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see.
                                                    --Spenser.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
           [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  
  
     Note: In the ancient phrases, all too dear, all too much, all
           so long, etc., this word retains its appropriate sense
           or becomes intensive.
  
     2. Even; just. (Often a mere intensive adjunct.) [Obs. or
        Poet.]
  
              All as his straying flock he fed.     --Spenser.
  
              A damsel lay deploring All on a rock reclined.
                                                    --Gay.
  
     All to, or All-to. In such phrases as ``all to rent,''
        ``all to break,'' ``all-to frozen,'' etc., which are of
        frequent occurrence in our old authors, the all and the to
        have commonly been regarded as forming a compound adverb,
        equivalent in meaning to entirely, completely, altogether.
        But the sense of entireness lies wholly in the word all
        (as it does in ``all forlorn,'' and similar expressions),
        and the to properly belongs to the following word, being a
        kind of intensive prefix (orig. meaning asunder and
        answering to the LG. ter-, HG. zer-). It is frequently to
        be met with in old books, used without the all. Thus
        Wyclif says, ``The vail of the temple was to rent:'' and
        of Judas, ``He was hanged and to-burst the middle:'' i.
        e., burst in two, or asunder.
  
     All along. See under Along.
  
     All and some, individually and collectively, one and all.
        [Obs.] ``Displeased all and some.'' --Fairfax.
  
     All but.
        (a) Scarcely; not even. [Obs.] --Shak.
        (b) Almost; nearly. ``The fine arts were all but
            proscribed.'' --Macaulay.
  
     All hollow, entirely, completely; as, to beat any one all
        hollow. [Low]
  
     All one, the same thing in effect; that is, wholly the same
        thing.
  
     All over, over the whole extent; thoroughly; wholly; as,
        she is her mother all over. [Colloq.]
  
     All the better, wholly the better; that is, better by the
        whole difference.
  
     All the same, nevertheless. ``There they [certain
        phenomena] remain rooted all the same, whether we
        recognize them or not.'' --J. C. Shairp. ``But Rugby is a
        very nice place all the same.'' --T. Arnold. -- See also
        under All, n.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  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.

From WordNet (r) 2.0 :   [ wn ]

  all but
       adv : (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite
             accomplished; `near' is sometimes used informally for
             `nearly' and `most' is sometimes used informally for
             `almost'; "the job is (just) about done"; "the baby was
             almost asleep when the alarm sounded"; "we're almost
             finished"; "the car all but ran her down"; "he nearly
             fainted"; "talked for nigh onto 2 hours"; "the
             recording is well-nigh perfect"; "virtually all the
             parties signed the contract"; "I was near exhausted by
             the run"; "most everyone agrees" [syn: about, just
             about, almost, most, nearly, near, nigh, virtually,
              well-nigh]

From English Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) :   [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-ALL-2023-07-27 ]

  all but
     adv.
     Very nearly; everything short of. (n-g: Most often precedes a verb or
  adjective.)
     alt.
     Very nearly; everything short of. (n-g: Most often precedes a verb or
  adjective.)

From English Wiktionary: English language only (2023-07-27) :   [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-en-2023-07-27 ]

  all but
     adv.
     Very nearly; everything short of. (n-g: Most often precedes a verb or
  adjective.)
     alt.
     Very nearly; everything short of. (n-g: Most often precedes a verb or
  adjective.)

From English Wiktionary: Western, Greek, and Slavonic languages only (2023-07-27) :   [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western_Greek_Slavonic-2023-07-27 ]

  all but
     adv.
     Very nearly; everything short of. (n-g: Most often precedes a verb or
  adjective.)
     alt.
     Very nearly; everything short of. (n-g: Most often precedes a verb or
  adjective.)

From English Wiktionary: Western languages only (2023-07-27) :   [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western-2023-07-27 ]

  all but
     adv.
     Very nearly; everything short of. (n-g: Most often precedes a verb or
  adjective.)
     alt.
     Very nearly; everything short of. (n-g: Most often precedes a verb or
  adjective.)

From Finnish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) :   [ dictinfo.com:wikt-fi-ALL-2023-07-27 ]

  all but
     Englanti adv.
     lähestulkoon

From English-Czech dicts.info/FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.1.3 :   [ freedict:eng-ces ]

  all but /ˈɔːl bˌʌt/
  téměř

From English - German Ding/FreeDict dictionary ver. 1.9-fd1 :   [ freedict:eng-deu ]

  all but /ˈɔːl bˌʌt/
  fast völlig, fast zur Gänze, so gut wie 
        "This industry has all but diappeared."  - Diese Branche ist fast völlig von der Bildfläche verschwunden.
        "The party was all but over when we arrived."  - Das Fest war so gut wie vorbei, als wir hinkamen.
        "It was all but impossible to read his writing."  - Es war nahezu unmöglich, seine Schrift zu entziffern.

From English - Modern Greek XDXF/FreeDict dictionary ver. 0.1.1 :   [ freedict:eng-ell ]

  all but /ˈɔːl bˌʌt/
  
  σχεδόν

From English-suomi FreeDict+WikDict dictionary ver. 2023.05.29 :   [ freedict:eng-fin ]

  all but /ˈɔːl bˌʌt/ 
  käytännössä, lähes, melkein
  very nearly

From English-Hungarian FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.2.1 :   [ freedict:eng-hun ]

  all but /ˈɔːl bˌʌt/
  1. csaknem mind
  2. csaknem
  3. majdnem
  4. vminek kivételével

From English-Lithuanian FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.7.2 :   [ freedict:eng-lit ]

  all but /ˈɔːl bˌʌt/
  beveik, vos ne

From English-Svenska FreeDict+WikDict dictionary ver. 2023.05.29 :   [ freedict:eng-swe ]

  all but /ˈɔːl bˌʌt/ 
  nära på, praktiskt taget, snudd på
  very nearly

From Stardic English-Chinese Dictionary :   [ stardic ]

  几乎,差一点

From XDICT the English-Chinese dictionary :   [ xdict ]

     几乎,差不多;除…外全都

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