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.
（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.