proper use of 'all but gone'

[Pepsi90919]

this keeps bugging me. it seems like people use this incorrectly all the time.

if you say something is "ALL BUT GONE" you are effectively saying it is "ALL EXCEPT GONE" and therefore saying "IT IS NOT GONE" or "IT STILL EXISTS."


correct-o?

 

[waylman]

not really. it's one of those weird nuances of the english language. When I hear someone say this, to me it means that it is all gone.

 

[TheBDB]

I usually take it to mean it is about to be gone, but not yet.

 

[Entity]

What it means (both literally and in practice) is that it is effectively gone -- i.e. that it isn't all gone, but it may as well be. At least that's how I read it.

Rob

 

[Pepsi90919]

yeah, i know. i just don't see how that's even correct at all.

it's like people and the 'couldn't care less' fiasco.