What does the phrase all but mean?

"All but" is a phrase that means almost, nearly, or very close to. It implies that something is very likely to happen or is very close to being complete, but not quite there yet.

Here are some examples:

* "The game was all but over." This means the game was nearly over, with the outcome almost certain.

* "She was all but finished with her project." This means she had nearly completed her project.

* "He was all but ready to give up." This means he was almost ready to give up, but not quite there yet.

Note: "All but" can also be used to mean except for. For example:

* "All but one of the students passed the test." This means that only one student did not pass the test.

So, the meaning of "all but" depends on the context of the sentence.