but Copy link Outline I. Except1. praeter (prep. with acc.)2. nĭsi (only after negatives, or after questions which imply negatives)II. Only (q. v.)III. Conj. denoting contrast or opposition1. sĕd (the most freq. equivalent of the Eng. word2. vērum (similar in force to sed3. autem (denoting less of opposition than the two preceding words, being often = and then, moreover4. vēro (implying, not so much opposition, as corroboration5. at (ast archaic6. atquiIV. Equivalent to the relative pronoun and a negative • but: I. Except: 1. praeter (prep. with acc.): v. beside, except. 2. nĭsi (only after negatives, or after questions which imply negatives): what is natural affection but a grateful feeling towards one's parents? quid est pietas nisi voluntas grata in parentes? Cic.: history was nothing else but the compilation of annals, erat historia nihil aliud nisi annalium confectio, Cic.: nothing is wanting here but songs, nihil hic nisi carmina desunt, Virg.: for no other reason but that, etc., non aliam ob causam nisi quod, etc., Hor. Phr.: the vineae now all but touched the walls, vineae tantum non jam injunctae moenibus erant, Liv.: promising all but mountains of gold, modo non montes auri pollicens, Ter.: he was all but killed, haud multum abfuit quin interficeretur, Liv.; parum abfuit quin occideretur, Cic.: the last dactyl but one, dactylus proximus a postremo, Cic. II. Only (q. v.): mŏdŏ, tantum. Phr.: if but, dummŏdo: v. PROVIDED THAT: but for a time, duntaxat ad tempus, Cic.: I had but just come from my villa at Arpinum, tantum quod ex Arpinati veneram, Cic.: but little, părum (i. e. less than should be): plenty of eloquence, but little wisdom, satis eloquentiae, sapientiae parum, Sall.: Cic. III. Conj. denoting contrast or opposition: 1. sĕd (the most freq. equivalent of the Eng. word: it stands first in its clause): (i.) denoting distinct opposition: Pausanias was a great man, but marked by contrasting features, P. vir magnus, sed varius, Nep.: Cic. Esp. after negatives: as, I am not your master, but your slave, non ego herus tibi sed servus sum, Pl.: this often happens, not only to individuals, but also to most powerful nations, id non modo singulis hominibus, sed potentissimis populis saepe contingit, Cic. (For not only ... but also, v. only.) (ii.) denoting limitation or correction: that is not perfect indeed, but it is tolerable, non perfectum illud quidem, sed tolerabile est, Cic. (iii.) in transitions and resumptions: but let us return to our subject, sed ad instituta redeamus, Cic.: but enough of words; attend to my orders, sed satis verborum est; cura quae jussi, Pl.: but in fact, sed enim, enimvero: v. in fact. 2. vērum (similar in force to sed: also at the beginning of its clause): (i.) of opposition, esp. in thought: we are inquiring, not what is useful to us, but what is necessary for the orator, non nos quid nobis utile, verum quid oratori necessarium sit quaerimus, Cic.: not only in acting but even in thinking, non modo agendo, verum etiam cogitando, Cic.: he adopts a foolish, but yet a merciful plan, consilium capit stultum, verum tamen clemens, Cic. (ii.) esp. in transitions: the calends of January were waited for, perhaps not rightly--but let us say nothing about the past, exspectabantur calendae Januariae, fortasse non recte--verum praeterita omittamus, Cic. Esp. with the emphatic enimvero, but indeed! in very truth! cf. Sall. C. 20 (med.). 3. autem (denoting less of opposition than the two preceding words, being often = and then, moreover: as it is less emphatic, it follows the first word of the sentence which it introduces): (i.) to introduce a gentle contrast; esp. where a word is repeated: I myself write nothing, but I read (or, I read however) with the greatest pleasure, ipse nihil scribo; lego autem libentissime, Cic.: Croesus thought that he should overturn the power of his enemies, but he overturned his own, Croesus hostium vim sese perversurum putavit, pervertit autem suam, Cic. (ii.) with interjections: but lo! a sudden divorce, ecce autem subitum divortium, Cic.: v. however, moreover. 4. vēro (implying, not so much opposition, as corroboration: like autem it follows the first word of its clause): the Helvetii had led three parts of their forces across the river, but the fourth was left on the hither side of it, Helvetii tres copiarum partes flumen transduxerant; quarta vero pars citra flumen reliqua erat, Caes.: Cic. 5. at (ast archaic: always placed at the beginning of its clause): (i.) to denote transition of thought, and to introduce an addition, which usu. modifies what precedes: the contest was carried on vigorously, hand to hand with swords, but the Germans sustained the onset, cominus gladiis acriter pugnatum est, at Germani impetus gladiorum exceperunt, Caes. (ii.) in passionate exclamations, where it often introduces something quite abruptly: but how like they are! but how beautiful both! at quam sunt similes! at quam formosus uterque! Ov. F. 2, 395; cf. Hor. Epod. 5, 1: but by the immortal gods! what can be said about this? at per deos immortales! quid est quod de hoc dici possit? Cic. (iii.) to introduce the answer to an objection which is anticipated: what further is to be inquired? whether it was done? but it is admitted: by whom? but it is evident, quid porro quaerendum est? factumne sit? at constat: a quo? at patet, Cic.: but (you urge), the memory fails (in old age): so I believe, unless you keep it exercised, at memoria minuitur: credo, nisi eam exerceas, Cic. 6. atqui: usu. = and yet, q. v. (i.) to connect an emphatic adversative clause: Cl.--she makes you fine enough promises; Sy.--but do you suppose that she is jesting? Cl.--satis scite promittit tibi; Sy.--atqui tu hanc jocari credis? Ter. (ii.) in conditional clauses: let him come; but if he lay a finger on her, his eyes shall be torn out instantly, sine veniat; atqui si illam digito attigerit, oculi illi illico effodientur, Ter.: Cic. (iii.) after an expressed or virtual negative: Ni.--you shall never carry off the gold; Ch.--no, but you will give it to me now; Ni.--nunquam auferes hinc aurum; Ch.--atqui iam dabis, Pl.: you state a wonderful thing; scarcely credible. But it is the fact, magnum narras, vix credibile. Atqui sic habet, Hor.: Cic. (iv.) to connect a minor premiss: Cic.: v. now. IV. Equivalent to the relative pronoun and a negative: quīn (only after negative or virtually negative sentences: v. Gell. 17, 13): there is hardly a day but he comes to my house, dies fere nullus est quin domum meam ventitet, Cic.: there was no one but said that he had heard this, nemo erat quin hoc se audisse diceret, Cic.: I cannot but send letters to you, facere non possum quin ad te litteras mittam, Cic.: there was no doubt but that they were the most powerful, non erat dubium quin plurimum possent, Caes.: not but that an answer might have been briefly given, non quin breviter reddi responsum potuerit, Liv. Phr.: (i.) but if, quod si; also when an alternative with si has gone before, sin: but if not, quod nisi or quod ni: v. if. (ii.) but for, but that: (a) nisi or ni, foll. by subj.: as, me the trunk would have cut off, but that Faunus lightened the blow, me truncus sustulerat, nisi Faunus ictum levasset, Hor. (b) absque (prep. with abl.; only in the colloq. language of the comedians): but for this one thing, how fortunate am I in everything else, quam fortunatus sum ceteris rebus, absque hac una foret, Ter.: Pl.: so, but for me, you, etc., absque me, te: Ter.: Pl. (c) also sometimes expr. by the help of quominus: as, but for Trebonius, it seemed they would have taken the place, stetisse per Trebonium, quominus oppido potirentur, videbatur, Caes. (iii.) not but that, non quin: not but that I could pay my debts ... but because ..., non quin aes alienum solvere possem ... sed quod, etc., Sall.: Cic. (the same sense may be conveyed by non quod [quia] non ... with subj., followed as before by sed quod or quia: v. that, because).