But vs By - What's the difference?
but | by |
(obsolete, outside, Scotland) Outside of.
Without, apart from, except.
Merely, only.
* 1791 , (Robert Burns), "(Ae Fond Kiss)":
* 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) :
* 1977 , (Alistair Horne), A Savage War of Peace , New York Review Books, 2006, p.49:
(Australian, conjunctive) Though, however.
Except (for), excluding. Preceded by a negation.
:
*{{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 23, author=Becky Ashton, work=BBC Sport
, title= On the contrary, but rather (introducing a word or clause that contrasts with or contradicts the preceding clause or sentence without the not ).
:
However, although, nevertheless (implies that the following clause is contrary to prior belief or contrasts with or contradicts the preceding clause or sentence).
:
:
*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author=
, volume=189, issue=6, page=34, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=55, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= Except that (introducing a subordinate clause which qualifies a negative statement); also, with omission of the subject of the subordinate clause, acting as a negative relative, "except one that", "except such that".
*, II.15:
*:There is no reason but hath another contrary unto it, saith the wisest party of Philosophers.
*Shakespeare
*:And but my noble Moor is true of mindit were enough to put him to ill thinking.
*1820 , (John Keats), ‘Lamia’, Lamia & Other Poems :
*:A deadly silence step by step increased, / Until it seem'd a horrid presence there, / And not a man but felt the terror in his hair.
:
Without it also being the case that; unless that (introducing a necessary concomitant).
:
(obsolete) Except with; unless with; without.
*Fuller
*:So insolent that he could not go but either spurning equals or trampling on his inferiors.
*Motto of the Mackintoshes
*:Touch not the cat but a glove.
(obsolete) Only; solely; merely.
*Milton
*:Observe but how their own principles combat one another.
*Bible, 2 Kings vii. 4
*:If they kill us, we shall but die.
*Dryden
*:a formidable man but to his friends
An instance or example of using the word "but".
(Scotland) The outer room of a small two-room cottage.
A limit; a boundary.
The end; especially the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end; the butt.
Near or next to.
At some time before (the given time), or before the end of a given time interval.
(Indicates the actor in a clause with its verb in the passive voice): Through the action or presence of.
* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 28, author=Jon Smith, work=BBC Sport
, title= (Indicates the creator of a work): Existing through the authorship etc. of.
(Indicates the cause of a condition or event): Through the action of, caused by, responsibility for; by dint of.
* 1874 , (Thomas Hardy), (Far from the Madding Crowd) , 2005 Barnes & Noble Classics publication of 1912 Wessex edition, p.109:
(Indicates a means): Involving/using the means of.
*
*:"I don't want to spoil any comparison you are going to make," said Jim, "but I was at Winchester and New College." ¶ "That will do," said Mackenzie. "I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve. Then I ran away and sold papers in the streets, and anything else that I could pick up a few coppers by —except steal."
(Indicates a source of light): Medium emanating from hot sources.
* 1945 , Neva L. Boyd, Handbook of Recreational Games , 1975 edition, ISBN 0486232042,
* 1960 , , (One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish)
(senseid).
(Indicates the amount of some progression): With a change of.
(Indicates a referenced source): According to.
(Indicates an oath): With the authority of.
Along a path which runs by the speaker.
In the vicinity, near.
* Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
To or at a place, as a residence or place of business.
Aside, away.
Out of the way, subsidiary.
As prepositions the difference between but and by
is that but is outside of while by is near or next to.As adverbs the difference between but and by
is that but is merely, only while by is along a path which runs by the speaker.As nouns the difference between but and by
is that but is an instance or example of using the word "but" while by is a pass.As a conjunction but
is except (for), excluding. Preceded by a negation.As an adjective by is
out of the way, subsidiary.As an interjection by is
an alternative spelling of lang=en.but
English
Preposition
(English prepositions)- Away but the hoose and tell me whae's there.
- Everyone but Father left early.
- ''I like everything but that.
Adverb
(-)- For to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love for ever.
- Now the Wicked Witch of the West had but one eye, yet that was as powerful as a telescope, and could see everywhere.
- The stony outcrops are often covered but thinly with arable soil; winters are bitingly cold, and rainfall scanty and unpredictable.
- I'll have to go home early but .
Conjunction
(wikipedia but) (English Conjunctions)QPR 1-0 Chelsea, passage=Luiz struggled with the movement of Helguson in the box, as he collected a long ball and the Spaniard barged him over, leaving referee Chris Foy little option but to point to the spot.}}
Ian Sample
Irregular bedtimes may affect children's brains, passage=Irregular bedtimes may disrupt healthy brain development in young children, according to a study of intelligence and sleeping habits. ¶ Going to bed at a different time each night affected girls more than boys, but both fared worse on mental tasks than children who had a set bedtime, researchers found.}}
Travels and travails, passage=Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But , as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.}}
Usage notes
* Beginning a sentence with a coordinating conjunction such as but' is considered incorrect by classical grammarians arguing that a coordinating conjunction at the start of a sentence has nothing to connect, but use of the word in this way is very common. It is, however, best to avoid beginning a sentence with '''but''' in formal writing. Combining sentences or using '''however''', '''nevertheless''', '''still''', or ' though is appropriate for the formal style. ** But this tool has its uses. ** This tool has its uses, however. ** Nevertheless, this tool has its uses. ** Still, this tool has its uses. ** This tool still has its uses. ** This tool has its uses, though. * The use of the word but preceded by a comma is also considered incorrect by classical grammarians. ** I was very tired, but I decided to continue. ** It was a lovely day, but rain looked likely.Synonyms
* (except) bar, unless, excepting, excluding, with the exception of, without * (however) yet, although, acNoun
(en noun)- It has to be done – no ifs or buts .
Derived terms
* all but * but and ben * but good *Statistics
*by
English
(wikipedia by)Alternative forms
* bye (archaic for preposition and adverb, not used for abbreviation, preferred for noun and interjection)Preposition
(English prepositions)Valencia 1-1 Chelsea, passage=Valencia threatened sporadically in the first half with Miguel having a decent effort deflected wide by Ashley Cole, while Jordi Alba's near-post cross was flicked into the sidenetting by Pablo Hernandez.}}
- In other directions the fields and sky were so much of one colour by the snow that it was difficult in a hasty glance to tell whereabouts the horizon occurred.
p.16:
- Players: Can we get there by candlelight? ¶ Gatekeepers: Yes and back again.
- By' the light of the moon, / ' by the light of a star / they walked all night
Derived terms
* bit by bit * by degrees * by dint of * by one's lonesome * by oneself * by means of * by rights * by the book * by the by * by the bye * by the way * by your leave * by way of * do good by * do right by * hard by * side by sideAdverb
(-)- I watched as it passed by .
- There was a shepherd close by .
- The shop is hard by the High Street.
- [The helmsman] steered with no end of a swagger while you were by ; but if he lost sight of you, he became instantly the prey of an abject funk
- I'll stop by on my way home from work.
- We're right near the lifeguard station. Come by before you leave.
- The women spent much time after harvest putting jams by for winter and spring.
