Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BUT, BUTT, BOT, prep.2 and conj. Also 'bout. [bʌt]
I. prep. Without (Ags.1, obsol., Kcb.1, Kcb.9 1937, obs. or obsol.).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 157:
He could eat me but salt.Sc. 1724–1727 Ramsay T. T. Misc. (1733) 168:
What signifies how pawky, Or gentle born ye be, — bot youth?Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 21:
An' noo the loon bood gan his lane, But ony lamp or guidin' rein.Ags. 1820 A. Balfour Contemplation, etc. 280:
Now Mr Preses, butt a' banter, Consider this, as you're a wanter.Gsw. 1860 J. Young Poorhouse Lays 167:
I'se wad ye had a merry splore 'Bout whisky, porter, yill.Lnk. 1712 Minutes J.P.s Lnk. (S.H.S. 1931) 129:
But prejudice to the generality foresaid.Ayr. 1786 Burns To a Mouse vi.:
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble, But house or hald.w.Dmf. 1925 W. A. Scott in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 19:
I hae come away but my knife the day.
II. conj. 1. Except, unless. Arch.Sc. 1802–1803 Minstr. Sc. Border (ed. Scott) III. 276:
And but ye read them right, she said, Gae stretch ye ont and die.
Phrs.: †(1) but and, (a) besides, as well as, and also; (b) unless; (2) but if, if only; †(3) but tho', nevertheless.(1) (a) Sc. 1724–1727 Ramsay T. T. Misc. (1733) 181:
A kame but and a kaming-stock.(b) Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Pop. Ballads I. 237:
O gangna, lady, gangna there! I wierd ye, gangna there! For, but and this black hour be past, I rede ye'll rue it sair.(2) Sc. 1904 Wife of Usher's Well in Ballads (ed. Child) No. 79 B. v.:
Lie still, lie still a little wee while, Lie still but if we may; For gin my mother miss us away She'll gae mad or it be day.(3) Ags. 1855 A. Douglas Hist. of Ferryden 13:
Ah, but tho', we'll a' come to you.
2. Used in strong asseverations with suppression of a preceding imprecative phr. = Eng. "(blow me) if or but." Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings (1873) 28:
Gin I had him here, But he sud get his thuds.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xiv.:
If ye lay a finger on that young 'oman, but I'se ding the wind oot o' ye!
