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CppStudent Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Meanings of Nothing/everything/anything + but?

OK, I came across these sentances:

This laptop is everything but normal.

What does that mean? Does that mean the laptop is everything and it is not normal?

Isn't that a bad thing?

Or does it mean the laptop is everything but it is normal??

But it doesn't sound right to me.

He is nothing but a loser.

Again, does that mean he is nothing and he is not a loser?

or does it mean he is nothing but he is a loser?

It can be anything but fun.

So is it fun or not???
  

Top answer

This laptop is everything but normal. = It is certainly not normal. He is nothing but a loser.

— Mister Micawber

  • This laptop is everything but normal.
  • = It is certainly not normal.
  • He is nothing but a loser.
  • = He is certainly a loser.
  • It can be anything but fun.
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3 Answers
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This laptop is everything but normal. = It is certainly not normal.

He is nothing but a loser. = He is certainly a loser.

It can be anything but fun. = It is certainly not fun.
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Thank you so much!

But what is the pattern here?

Why

This laptop is everything but normal. means NOT normal actually.

It can be anything but fun. means NOT fun actually.

He is nothing but a loser. means a loser instead of NOT a loser???

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The pattern should be obvious:

anything/everthing but = certainly is not.

nothing but = certainly is.
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