Meaning of but for | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Except, except for; save for; not counting; were it not for; had it not been for.
2. despite; in spite of

Equivalents

Examples

“I’d’ve attended but for the fact that the train was late.”

“I once did lend my body for his wealth, Which, but for him that had your husband's ring, Had quite miscarried: […]”

“She had a woman to take care of her called Mrs Poole — an able woman in her line, and very trustworthy, but for one fault — a fault common to a deal of them nurses and matrons — she kept a bottle of gin by her, and now and then took a drop over-much.”

“But for that beneficent drug, not one of those men would have slept a moment during that fearful night.”

“In the whole extent of the house, which but for the old woman remained otherwise empty, Mr. Hyde had only used a couple of rooms; […]”

“In reconditioning existing locomotives, carriages and wagons, it is intended to replace obsolete types which would have been scrapped but for the war and to embody the latest scientific improvements.”

“But for the stinging cold of January, this Casanova would not have taken shelter behind the coffeehouse window, […].”

CEFR level