大全 761 -- all but 的用法

大全761/补充62.   The growing demand for housing, traffic congestion, and longer commuting trips has all but eliminated the cost advantage of owning a house in many rural communities.

(A) The growing demand for housing, traffic congestion, and longer commuting trips has

(B) Traffic congestion, the growing demand for housing, and longer commuting trips has

(C) Longer commuting trips, traffic congestion, and the growing demand for housing has

(D) Traffic congestion, longer commuting trips, and the growing demand for housing have（D）

(E) The growing demand for housing, as well as traffic congestion and longer commuting trips, have

选D没有疑问， 可是不明白划线部分后的all but是什么意思？在文中 起什么作用？

谢谢。

According to longman Dictionary

all but
almost completely
Britain's coal industry has all but disappeared. His left arm was all but useless.