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Unless vs Besides - What's the difference?

unless | besides |

As a conjunction unless

is except on a specified condition; if not.

As a preposition besides is

(obsolete) beside.

As an adverb besides is

(conjunctive) also; in addition.

unless

English

Alternative forms

* unlesse (obsolete)

Conjunction

(English Conjunctions)
  • Except on a specified condition; if not.
    • I’m leaving unless I get a pay rise (AmE: raise).
  • *
  • * 1839 , Denison Olmsted, A Compendium of Astronomy Page 95
    • Secondly, When a body is once in motion it will continue to move forever, unless something stops it. When a ball is struck on the surface of the earth, the friction of the earth and the resistance of the air soon stop its motion.

    Antonyms

    * (except on a condition) if

    Derived terms

    * precisely unless * unlesss * unless and until, until and unless

    Statistics

    *

    besides

    English

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • (obsolete) Beside.
  • In addition, in addition to.
  • * 1661 , , The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond
    • During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant
  • * August 3, 2008] - [[w:Schlock Mercenary, Schlock Mercenary]
    • Captain Tagon': Wait. … Ebby, if Schlock goes out make sure he's carrying something '''besides''' those two plasma cannons.
    '''Ebinoth''': When you say "'     besides     ," do you mean "in addition to," or "instead of"? Because one of those is a really hard sell.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=18 April, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport
    • , title= Chelsea 1-0 Barcelona , passage=n the end, Chelsea's organisation and discipline was rewarded but Di Matteo knows they will have to produce the same - and more besides - in the Nou Camp to confirm a meeting with either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the final in Munich next month.}}
  • Other than; except for; instead of.
  • * August 3, 2008] - [[w:Schlock Mercenary, Schlock Mercenary]
    • Captain Tagon': Wait. … Ebby, if Schlock goes out make sure he's carrying something '''besides''' those two plasma cannons.
    '''Ebinoth''': When you say "'     besides     ," do you mean "in addition to," or "instead of"? Because one of those is a really hard sell.

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (conjunctive) also; in addition
  • (conjunctive) moreover; furthermore
  • (conjunctive) otherwise; else
  • (obsolete) On one side.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Synonyms

    * (l)

    See also

    * on top of that

    Usage notes

    ; Not to be confused with * beside English conjunctive adverbs 1000 English basic words