2but preposition
: other than (something or someone) : except
▪ We had nothing but rain all week. [=it rained for the entire week] ▪ There was no one there but him. ▪ I didn't tell anyone but my sister. ▪ Who but you would think that? ▪ No one but you would try that. = No one would try that but you. ▪ I was anything but tired. [=I was not at all tired]
▪ We had nothing but rain all week. [=it rained for the entire week] ▪ There was no one there but him. ▪ I didn't tell anyone but my sister. ▪ Who but you would think that? ▪ No one but you would try that. = No one would try that but you. ▪ I was anything but tired. [=I was not at all tired]
but for
: if not for (something or someone) : without (something or someone)
▪ We would never have visited the town but for [=except for] the newspaper article about local artists. ▪ The score would have been higher but for some excellent goaltending.
▪ We would never have visited the town but for [=except for] the newspaper article about local artists. ▪ The score would have been higher but for some excellent goaltending.
