The phrase "all but" is an interesting spelling conundrum as it does not necessarily mean what it literally suggests. The IPA phonetic transcription of this phrase would be /ɔːl bʌt/. It is spelled in a way to convey the meaning of "nearly" or "almost," rather than the actual meaning of "everything except." This idiomatic expression can be confounding for non-native English speakers, as the interpretation of the phrase is dependent on context, making it all but easy to comprehend at times.
The phrase "all but" is commonly used as an idiom in English, typically to convey the meaning of "almost" or "nearly." It is a phrasal adjective that combines the word "all" and the preposition "but" to form an expression that describes a situation where something or someone falls just short of a particular state, action, or result.
The term implies a condition where virtually everything except a minuscule or insignificant component is encompassed. It effectively denotes that only a small or insignificant part remains, excluding all others. For example, if one were to say, "I was all but defeated," it portrays a circumstance where almost all hope was gone, leaving only a trace or a fraction of hope remaining.
Furthermore, the expression "all but" can also be employed to emphasize a feeling of irony or contradiction. In this context, it suggests that despite being seemingly close to a specific outcome, the expected result did not occur. For instance, when someone says, "She was all but certain to win the game," it signifies that despite high expectations or strong indications of success, the person failed to achieve victory.
In summary, "all but" is an idiomatic phrase that denotes near completeness or almost reaching a particular condition or result while also potentially indicating a paradoxical contrast. Its usage extends beyond physical objects and events, extending into feelings, beliefs, and intangible aspects of life, making it a versatile and widely employed expression in the English language.
The phrase all but has an interesting etymology. It originated in Middle English as all buten, combining the words all and buten.
The word all comes from the Old English word eall, which meant whole or entire. It eventually evolved into the Middle English alle and eventually the modern English all.
The word buten is the Middle English form of the word but, which initially referred to the meaning outside of or except for. Over time, buten came to mean only or nearly.
When all and buten were combined to form all buten, it meant all except or almost completely. With the progression of the English language, all buten eventually transformed into the modern phrase we know today as all but.