can't help but do



can't help but do something

[to be] unable to choose any but one course of action. (Also with cannot.) Her parents live nearby, so she can't help but go there on holidays. Bob is a tennis fan and can't help but travel to Wimbledon each year.
See also: but, help

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Peg[peg]
Battistabaht-TEE-stahItalian
Yuutayoo:-tahJapanese
MilivojMEE-lee-voi (Croatian, Serbian)Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Medieval Slavic
Albertaal-BUR-tə (English), ahl-BER-tah (Italian, Polish, German)English, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, German
VinceVINTS (English), VEEN-tse (Hungarian)English, Hungarian