nothing but （= none but = only）：仅仅，只不过We could see nothing but fog.除了雾之外我们什么也看不见。
for nothing：①免费的；②徒劳的；③无缘无故的She got the ticket for nothing.她免费得到那张票。
All our preparation for nothing！ No one‘s even come to the party.我们为宴会所作的准备都白费了！连一个人都没来。
They quarreled for nothing.他们无缘无故地争吵。
make nothing of： （常和can一起用）不理解；不重视，轻视（= think nothing of）
I could make nothing of the passage.我不理解这篇文章。
He makes / thinks nothing of working ten hours a day.他不在乎一天工作十小时。
to say nothing of：更不用说（= not to mention / without mentioning）
Three people were badly hurt， to say nothing of damage to the building.三个人受了重伤，建筑物的损害更不用说了。
have nothing to do with：与……无关I have nothing to do with the accident.我与这场事故无关。
nothing if not：格外地；非常地（= very / much / extremely）
He was nothing if not clever. （= He was very clever.）他格外聪明。
nothing of：无……的部分；无……的气质There was nothing of the lady in her behavior.她的举止根本没有淑女的气质。
区别：
all but几乎，差一点，除……以外其余都是but for要不是but that+从句：若不是……
例1：She all but fainted when she heard the news.译文：她听到这一消息时几乎晕倒了。
注：此句中a11 but意为nearly，almost.试对比：
All but the little children thought that the trip was exciting.译文：除了小孩，大家都认为这次旅行是激动人心的。
此句中all but意为a11 except.例2：But for the rain we should have a pleasant journey.译文：要不是下雨，我们的旅行本来是愉快的。
例3：He would have helped us but that he was short of money at the time.译文：若不是他那时缺钱，他是会帮助我们的。
注1）。but that引导的从句中谓语用陈述语气。2）。but that有灵活的译法。如：Nothing would satisfy that child but that I place her on my lap.（那孩子什么都不要，只要我把她抱在怀里。）
3.“名词+or+名词”结构中or后的名词是同位语，应译为“即……；或者称……”
例1：Moreover， technology includes techniques， or ways to do things， as well as the machines that may or may not be necessary to apply them.译文：再者，除机器外技术还包括技艺，即制作方法，而动用这些技艺并不一定都需要机器。
4.“only + to do”意为“……，结果却……”，即表示与句子谓语动作的目的相反的结果。
例1： They don‘t have to pay for expensive seats at the theatre， the cinema or the opera， only to discover， perhaps， that the show is disappointing.译文：他们不必花钱去戏院、电影院或歌剧院买价格很贵的票，（如果去了，）结果却可能发现，所演的节目令人失望。
例2： They hurried there only to find the meeting canceled.译文：他们匆匆忙忙赶到那儿，结果却发现会议被取消了。
5.not more / -er than与no more / -er than结构比较：
John is not better than Tom. John is no better than Tom.前一句表示“约翰不比汤姆好”，属于普通的比较结构；后一例用了no情况就不同了。no better than相当于as bad as，含义是两人一样坏。这里，“no +形容词或副词比较级+ than”所表示的可以说是该形容词或副词的反意。