nothing but（除……而外；什么也没有；只有）后面可接
(1) 名词或代词：
For miles and miles I could see nothing except (= but) a great fire and lots of smoke. 一连好几英里，除了大火和浓烟我什么也看不见。
Under the soil there is nothing but sand. 在这层土壤下边只有沙子。

there is nothing but you can do.没有什么你做不了的！（没有什么可以难倒你。）（准关系代词）

There is no one but is interested in it.没有人不会对它感兴趣。（准关系代词）

There is nothing but he is fond of.没有什么东西是他不喜欢的。（准关系代词）

He is nothing but a child.他只不过是个孩子。

=He is but a child.

 He is only a child.

 He is no more than a child.

 
（2）不定式：A cold-blooded animal has no choice but to lie down and sleep. 冷血动物别无选择，只好躺下来睡觉。（注：这种句型中的不定式通常要带to；但当其前面的动词是do，或只有情态动词时，but后面的不定式要省去to。例如：
He did nothing but sleep all day long. 他什么也不干，成天睡觉。
I can but obey it.（= I can do nothing but obey it.）我只能服从。
再如：
Politeness costs nothing but wins everything. 这是一句谚语，意为彬彬有礼，惠而不费，或者理解为和气生财。