1. anything but有2个用法：
（1）.在肯定句中，表示：一点也不，根本不，绝非，绝不是，相当于not……at all
The problem is anything but easy.
这个问题一点也不简单。
I will be anything but quiet on Saturday night!
星期六的晚上我根本静不下心来！
However, when you think about it, small talk is anything but small.
不过，仔细想想，寒暄可不是什么小事。
She is anything but a beauty. 她一点也不漂亮。
They were anything but friendly off-camera, refusing even to take the same lift.
在银幕外，他们彼此一点也不友好，甚至不愿同乘一部电梯。
Growing up, I had people telling me I was too slow, though, with an IQ of 150+ at 17, I'm anything but stupid ．
从小到大都有人说我迟钝，但我17岁的时候智商就达到了150，我一点儿也不傻。
Langdon was feeling anything but fortunate, and coincidence was a concept he did not entirely trust.
兰登一点也不觉得幸运。他不是十分相信机缘巧合这种说法。
（2）.在肯定句中，表示：只；除了……都不
He didn't speak anything but Greek
他只会说希腊语。
These days, I can't think of anything but motor oil.
这些天，我的脑子里只有机油。
He's not interested in anything but eating and sleeping.
除了两饱一倒，他什么都不管。
2. nothing but只不过是，仅仅是，相当于only
He started with nothing but raw talent and determination.
他起家时只有天生的才能和决心。
Nothing but a miracle can save her now.
现在只有出现奇迹才能救活她。
The whole story is nothing but a pack of lies.
整个叙述只不过是一派谎言。
We've had nothing but trouble with this car.
我们这辆车净出毛病。
We have nothing but praise for the way they handled the investigation.
对于他们处理调查的方式我们唯有赞赏。
I have nothing but praise for the police
我对警方唯有称赞。
They had nothing but scorn for his political views.
他们对他的政治观点只有鄙夷。
Below him was nothing but a black void.
他下面只是一片漆黑。
There's nothing but junk on the TV.
电视上全是些无聊的东西。
He's nothing but a liar and a fraud.
他只不过是个撒谎者和骗子。
Fame brought her nothing but misery.
名声只给她带来了痛苦。
He's nothing but a no-good bum!
他不过是个没用的懒汉。
It did nothing but make us ridiculous
这只是让我们显得很滑稽。
He was nothing but skin and bones.
他瘦得只剩皮包骨头了。
You'll buy nothing but trouble if you buy that house, take my word for it.
你要是买那栋房子只会买来麻烦，我说的都是真的。
I want nothing but raiment and daily bread.
我只求温饱，别无他求。
3.all but几乎是，差不多是,相当于almost
The room was all but empty.房间里几乎全空了。
But that market has all but disappeared.
不过，这个市场现在几乎消失了。
The concrete wall that used to divide this city has now all but gone
曾经将这座城市分隔开的混凝土墙现在已几乎不复存在。
Herbalism had become an all but extinct skill in the Western world.
草药医术在西方已经成了一门几乎绝迹的技艺。
By 1980, Miami beach had all but totally eroded
到1980年，迈阿密海滩已经完全风蚀了。
He has been all but forgotten.
他几乎已被人遗忘。
His papers were proof against all but the most expert of scrutinies.
他的论文几乎可以经受住最专业的审查。
Reiner, 56, has all but conceded the race to his rival
56岁的赖纳在比赛中几乎已经向对手认输了。
Failure, for them, become all but unthinkable.
失败对于他们变得几乎/简直难以置信/难以想象。
另外，all 为不定代词，可充当表语或宾语，but用作连词，表示“除了…之外（都）”，如：
I knew them all but one. 除了一个我不认识之外，其余的人我都认识。
Her birthday was unnoticed by all but herself. 除了她自己没人注意她的生日。
All but my auntie have had lunch.
除了我的婶婶以外,大家都吃了中饭了。
All but a few will say amen to his proposal.
除了少数几个人外，大家都会十分赞成他的建议。
试比较：
He is anything but a fool.
He is nothing but a fool.
He is all but a fool.
他绝不是个傻瓜。
他只不过是（仅仅是）个傻瓜。
他几乎是个傻瓜。