I.conj., if not, unless.
I.
A. In gen.: “quid tu malum curas, Utrum crudum an coctum-edim? nisi tu mihi es tutor,” Plaut. Aul. 3, 2, 15: “quod nisi esset, certe postea non discessisset,” Cic. Clu. 66, 189: “non posse ejus imperia diutius sustineri, nisi quid in Caesare sit auxilii,” Caes. B. G. 1, 31; Suet. Caes. 52.—
B. With interrogatives and negatives, usually in a different clause.
1. After an interrogative or negative clause, except, save only, only: “ne quis enuntiaret, nisi quibus mandatum esset,” Caes. B. G. 1, 30: “hoc sentio, nisi in bonis, amicitiam esse non posse,” Cic. Lael. 5, 18: “etenim dicere nemo potest, nisi qui prudenter intellegit,” id. Brut. 6, 23: “quid est pietas, nisi voluntas grata in parentes,” id. Planc. 33, 82; Ov. H. 2, 27: “negant enim quem quam esse virum bonum, nisi sapientem,” Cic. Lael. 5, 18.—
2. With a foll. negative: “sic orator, nisi multitudine audiente, eloquens esse non possit,” Cic. de Or. 2, 83, 338: “Labienus juravit, se, nisi victorem, in castra non reversurum,” Caes. B. C. 3, 87.—
3. Closely connected with non (mostly post-Aug.): “legationis non nisi condemnato et ejecto eo, etc.,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 39, § 98: “qui non nisi aput Germanias adsequi nomen imperatorium posset,” Tac. A. 2, 26: “ad quem non nisi per Sejanum aditus,” id. ib. 4, 68; 14, 63; 15, 1; Suet. Caes. 56; id. Aug. 21; 41; Quint. 1, 5, 19; Plin. 10, 36, 52, § 108; Plin. Ep. 6, 6, 4.—(The passages in which nisi was supposed to stand for nisi non or non nisi have been critically amended; v. Hand, Turs. 4, 253; Kritz and Fabri ad Sall. J. 54, 5; Drakenb. and Weissenb. ad Liv. 34, 16, 1; Duker ad Flor. 1, 12, 18.)—
C. Esp.
1. After nihil, nihil aliud, etc., save, but, than: “nihil am plius nisi,” Cic. Planc. 41, 99: “nihil est quod festines, nisi ut valeas,” id. Fam. 16, 6, 3: “erat historia nihil aliud nisi annalium confectio,” id. de Or. 2, 12, 52; id. Phil. 3, 5, 13, id. Rosc. Am. 37, 108.—
2. Non aliter nisi, on no other condition: “non aliter neque classem revocaturum neque exercitum reducturum, nisi, etc.,” Liv. 45, 11, 11.—
3. Nisi si, except if, unless: “nisi si etiam illuc pervenerint,” Varr. R. R. 2, 9: “noli putare me ad quemquam longiores epistulas scribere, nisi si qui ad me plura scripsit, etc.,” Cic. Fam. 14, 2, 1: “nisi vero si quis est qui,” id. Cat. 2, 4, 6. —
4. Nisi ut, except that, unless: “neque convivia inire ausus est, nisi ut speculatores cum lanceis circumstarent,” Suet. Claud. 35. —
5. Nisi quod, except that which, save only that: “nam nunc homines nihili faciunt quod licet nisi quod lubet,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 3, 25: “cum Patrone Epicureo mihi omnia sunt communia, nisi quod in philosophiā vehementer ab eo dissentio,” Cic. Fam. 13, 1, 2: “praedia me valde delectant, nisi quod me aere circum foraneo obruerunt,” id. Att. 2, 1, 11; id. Tusc. 3, 24, 58: “ab negotiis numquam voluptas remorata est, nisi quod de uxore potuit honestius consuli,” Sall. J. 95, 3; Tac. A. 14, 14: “unde causa et origo peregrino sacro parum comperi, nisi quod signum ipsum ... docet advectam religionem,” id. G. 9.—
6. Nisi quia, except because, i. e. until that at nesciebam id dicere illam, nisi quia Correxit miles, quod intellexi minus, Ter. Eun. 4, 5, 10.—
II. In transitions; also in the combinations nisi vero, nisi forte, nisi tamen, unless perhaps, etc., mostly ironical (cf. Gr. εἰ μὴ ἄρα, ει μή γε, ἐκτὸς εἰ μή): “nisi unum hoc faciam ut in puteo cenam coquant,” Plaut. Aul. 2, 7, 3: “nisi forte volumus Epicureorum opinionem sequi, qui, etc.,” Cic. Fat. 16, 37: “nisi vero existimatis dementem Africanum fuisse, qui, etc.,” id. Mil. 3, 8: ne requiras; “nisi forte adulescentes pueritiam debent requirere,” id. Sen. 10, 33: “Hostis nullus erat, nisi forte quem vos jussissetis,” Sall. J. 14, 10; cf. Zumpt, Gram. § 569.
