Example sentences of "were [not/n't] for [art] [noun sg] " in BNC.

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1 Perhaps the jeweller she kept house for could read , but the things Sarah wanted to say were not for a stranger 's eyes .
2 The foregoing would , of course , mean that property rights were not for the dispensation of some imagined ‘ god ’ of early superstitious religion , but existed by virtue of the fact that human beings have , in the course of time , generally agreed that such a right was ‘ good ’ , for the reason that without it there could be no peaceful existence and no contentment .
3 The Rev Aaron Longwe , who has been detained and tortured by the regime for speaking out about corruption , told a gathering of former missionaries at the Kirk 's headquarters in Edinburgh : ‘ If it were not for the Church of Scotland some of us would have been dead by now . ’
4 Well , Mrs. Jewkes , if it were not for the thought of that cursed parson I believe in my heart , so great is my weakness , that I could yet forgive this intriguing little slut and take her to my bosom .
5 If it were not for the possibility of physical delivery of the underlying cash market good by the seller of the futures contract to the buyer , there would be no mechanism to guarantee convergence of futures and spot prices .
6 He also remarked , significantly : If it were not for the Union , I venture to think that women would be all over the London trade .
7 Any cheers that met his statement — which was not heard in silence — were not for the General-Secretary but for his concessions .
8 Ironically , the Great War would not have been the war that it was if it were not for the machine .
9 If it were not for the fact that he was one of the favourites you 'd have been delighted but as a Gold Cup winner I had to feel a bit disappointed .
10 This would be a useful feature if it were not for the fact that a certain amount of vaginal discharge is perfectly normal and natural for a woman in her reproductive years ; and what is more , this natural discharge is subject to a fair amount of variation depending on the stage of the menstrual cycle .
11 This would not matter very much ( for it would always be possible for individual candidates to prove the expectation wrong ) , if it were not for the fact that whole papers in the final examination , or certain questions on papers , are to be ‘ differentiated ’ .
12 But why ( if it were not for the fact that one is a Christian ) should one be wanting to stay with the experience of women within the biblical tradition ?
13 He did not enjoy such visits now , and would have been tempted to abandon them if it were not for the fact that people might gossip .
14 From what has been said above , it will be clear that the Oxford English Dictionary Department would not be what it is , if it were not for the Supplement project lying at the heart of its work .
15 He would have laughed if it were not for the echo of the screaming in his head .
16 The clumsiness is evident in the standard of ‘ the reasonable man ’ , an anthropomorphic ( and male ) standard which might be taken to suggest a paragon of virtue if it were not for the context of partially exculpating a killing by such a person .
17 It would be idle to speculate on what the figures might have been if it were not for the security situation .
18 It is rather unexpectedly glutinous and flabby to the touch — all-in-all rather unpleasant , if it were not for the splash of vivid yellow it gives to an otherwise sombre winter hedgerow .
19 The children And that were n't for a day , for a night , it were for weeks and weeks on end .
20 She 's one of several who 'd be unable to study if it were n't for the nursery .
21 Mr Lewis seemed angry that he could n't enjoy his freedom in the country due to the army — but he would n't be able to enjoy his freedom at all , if it were n't for the army .
22 If it were n't for the bit I earn I daresay me and my bairns would be in Dudley House an' all .
23 If it were n't for the tailpiece , there would be distinct LP Junior/Melody Maker overtones , especially in view of Larry 's choice of pickup .
24 IF IT were n't for the presence of two eclipses , December would be one of the better months of the year .
25 Now we have to work secretly but if it were n't for the repression the Communities would be much bigger .
26 In fact , if it were n't for the program 's stunning speed , you could easily believe you were running a Windows application .
27 Peony looked suitably chastened , but there was a glint in her eye that told Peggy there was plenty more she could say , and would say , if it were n't for the fact that she adored the Vicar with a passion that bordered on the obsessive .
28 ‘ If it were n't for the fact that we have to spend time and pay lawyers to deal with it , we would find the whole thing laughable , ’ E&Y 's marketing partner David Wilson told ACCOUNTANCY .
29 Erm there 's been a reduction er , in the er , staff er because er er people have moved on and er , I take Sue 's point about er if it were n't for the fact that erm they 'd got fully e e experienced staff who 've been there some time , they have n't , not used to this churning over o of , and therefore , that has paid off in er in er in erm so far as being able to deal with the problems that have arisen and er , you 'll see further on er , addition profiles of the work that 's been done with er in this area over the town .
30 This could be a very beautiful sight , I 'm sure , if it were n't for the fact that the men all look like Jim Bowen and the women all look like your mother .
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