all but — almost completely; very nearly
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: almost completely; very nearly
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɔːl bʌt/
Example Sentences
- After eating the whole pizza, he was all but ready to explode.
- The old bridge was all but destroyed after the storm.
- My phone battery is all but dead—only 1% left!
all but
ADVERB[/ɔːl bʌt/]
almost completely; very nearly
After the marathon, he was all but collapsed at the finish line.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The phrase 'all but' originated in Old English as a combination of 'all' (every, the whole) and 'but' (except, excluding). The literal meaning 'all except' gradually evolved to convey the sense of 'nearly' or 'almost' when describing a state where everything is accomplished save one final element.
Breakdown
all (every, the whole) + but (except, excluding) → semantically shifted from 'all except one' to 'nearly complete' or 'almost' through the implication that only one thing remains undone.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“After eating the whole pizza, he was all but ready to explode.”
“The old bridge was all but destroyed after the storm.”
“My phone battery is all but dead—only 1% left!”
“Their victory in the championship is all but certain at this point.”
“After binge-watching the entire series, my social life is all but nonexistent.”
📚Related Words
Antonyms
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