I abstract this broader question from this. I know that as a preposition, but = Except; apart from; other than. 1. Do the following 2 definitions of all but, contradict each other?
2. How do you determine/deduce the right meaning between <1> and <2>?
<1>. Very nearly <2>. All except
Update Oct 30 2014: User StoneyB answered that all but 'embraces WHATEVER falls short of entirety'. But WHATEVER implies every notch in his scale above forgotten (in his pink box in quotations),
so does this extensiveness contradict <1> (ie: very nearly),
and user Dan Bron's Oct 26 comment (ie: all but = just short of) ?
I tried https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/10671/8712 and the following on ELU but remain mystified:
“to be all but X” | the 2 paras under 'She was all but killed by the assassin.' | “He all but [did something]” | “All but” idiom has two meanings? | “All but convinced” as a way of saying that one is, in fact, convinced?.
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