nothing but—nothing other than; only that particular thing:
- There is also a female sect called the Abstinents who make a vow to eat nothing but vegetables.
nothing if not—is used to emphasize that a person or thing has a lot of that particular quality:
- Brunel was nothing if not determined, and by September the ship was ready for the maiden voyage.
Note: Neither expression is equivalent in meaning to the phrase nothing short of—(also: nothing less than)
1. quite equal to smth.:
- This version is nothing short of perfection, with perfect guitar work and emphasis on the parts that need it.
2. except for smth.:
- I have done everything that man could do; but our case is desperate. Nothing short of a miracle can save us now.