except

verb

1. 1

   To exclude; to specify as being an exception.

   I find most people annoying — present company excepted, of course!

   But this [ban on circumcision] must have been a provocation, as the emperor Antoninus Pius later acknowledged by excepting the Jews.

2. 2

   To take exception, to object (to or against).

   to except to a witness or his testimony

   Except thou wilt except against my love.

   Yea, but methinks I hear some man except at these words […].

   The Athenians might fairly except against the practise of Democritus to be buried up in honey; as fearing to embezzle a great commodity of their Countrey

preposition

1. 1

   Used to introduce an exception or qualification to something previously stated.

   There was nothing in the cupboard except a tin of beans.

   Except that he is wearing polka-dot drawers, he is buck naked.

   One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains. Isolating a city’s effluent and shipping it away in underground sewers has probably saved more lives than any medical procedure except vaccination.

conjunction

1. 1

   Used to introduce a clause, phrase, verb infinitive, adverb or other non-noun complement forming an exception or qualification to something previously stated.

   You look a bit like my sister, except (that) she has longer hair.

   I never made fun of her except teasingly.

   To survive, I did everything except steal.

   Come any time except between ten and twelve.

2. 2

   informalLoosely, used to introduce a contrastive statement explaining why something wasn't successful, didn't happen, etc.

   They fired tear gas at us, except the wind was blowing the wrong way.

   I almost walked out, except I remembered the promise I had made.

3. 3

   archaicUnless; used to introduce a hypothetical case in which an exception may exist.

   And they sayde: We have no moo but five loves and two fisshes, except we shulde goo and bye meate for all this people.

   If I ſay ſooth, I muſt report they were / As Cannons ouer-charg'd with double Cracks, / So they doubly redoubled ſtroakes vpon the Foe: / Except they meant to bathe in reeking Wounds, / Or memorize another Golgotha, / I cannot tell: but I am faint, / My Gaſhes cry for helpe.

   Offensive wars, except the cause be very just, I will not allow of.

   I am […] not so clear how you will be able to avoid it, except you assert the independence to which your estate gives you a title.

Forms

past tense

excepted

past participle

excepted

present participle

excepting

third person singular

excepts