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Onelook Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

If they but knew it

If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.


I heard that but means only, but it still doesn't make sense, because we would get:


If only they knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.


The sentence would make much more sense if it were reworded into:


If only they thought about it, they would realize that almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.


Can someone explain to me the wording of this awkward sentence and what only mean? I can't find a definition that fits.

  

Top answer

if only - idiom Used to express a wish, especially regretfully. ‘if only I had listened to you’ (Oxford Dictionary) Used to talk about something that one wants to happen or be true If only she loved me in return! If only it would stop raining .

— CalifJim

  • if only - idiom Used to express a wish, especially regretfully.
  • ‘if only I had listened to you’ (Oxford Dictionary) Used to talk about something that one wants to happen or be true If only she loved me in return!
  • If only it would stop raining .
  • (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) CJ
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2 Answers
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if only - idiom

Used to express a wish, especially regretfully.
‘if only I had listened to you’ (Oxford Dictionary)

Used to talk about something that one wants to happen or be true
If only she loved me in return!
If only it would stop raining. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

CJ

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This is a quotation from the start of Moby ****. This novel was written in 1851. Considering how long ago it was written, this sentence is still pretty good today.

If only is a fixed phrase that expresses regret.

(Fixed expressions can not really be interpreted correctly by simply looking at the meaning of each word separately.

eg If only Mary loved me, I would

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