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ifs, ands, or buts

if
I i

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [if]
    • /ɪf/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [if]
    • /ɪf/

Definitions of ifs, ands, or buts words

  • noun ifs, ands, or buts a supposition; uncertain possibility: The future is full of ifs. 1
  • noun ifs, ands, or buts a condition, requirement, or stipulation: There are too many ifs in his agreement. 1
  • idioms ifs, ands, or buts ifs, ands, or buts, reservations, restrictions, or excuses: I want that job finished today, and no ifs, ands, or buts. 1
See all 3 definitions of ifs, ands, or buts

Information block about the term

Origin of ifs, ands, or buts

First appearance:

before 900
One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English, variant of yif, Old English gif, gef; akin to Old Norse ef if, Gothic ibai whether, Old High German iba condition, stipulation

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Ifs, ands, or buts

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Ifs, ands, or buts

ifs, ands, or buts popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 99% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

See also

Matching words

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