while

Forms

present (v1): while
past (v2): whiled
past participle (v3): whiled
present participle: whiling
3rd person singular: whiles

Definitions

Noun
A word that identifies a person, place, thing, or idea.

1.An uncertain duration of time, a period of time.
- He lectured for quite a long while.
- Do the good that's nearest Though it's dull at whiles.
- It’s a long while since anyone lived there, so it’s a ruin now.

Conjunction
A word that links words, phrases, or clauses.

1.During the same time that.
- He was sleeping while I was singing.
- Driving while intoxicated is against the law.
- I lived in Ávila for two lustra while I was a child.
2.Although.
- This case, while interesting, is a bit frustrating.
- While I would love to help, I am very busy at the moment.
- And while one isolated act of kindness may seem random, it can lead to much more.
3.Until.
- I'll wait while you've finished painting.
- To dark is still used in Swaledale (Yorkshire) in the sense of to lie hid, as, 'Te rattens [rats] mun ha bin darkin whel nu [till now]; we hannot heerd tem tis last fortnith'.
4.As long as.
- While there's quiet I can sleep.
- While you're at school you may live at home.
- Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to load it to excess.

Preposition
A word placed before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show its relationship to another part of the sentence.

1.Until.
- I may be conveyed into your chamber; I'll lie under your bed while midnight.

Verb
A word that expresses an action, state, or occurrence.

1.To pass (time) idly.
- As if she was just whiling her time with them until his arrival.
- Some were whiling the time by admiring the figures on the cloth of tissue.
2.To occupy or entertain (someone) in order to let time pass.
- In other worlds I whiled me now Through many a dark night long.

Frequency

Overall

Very common· #161

By learning goal

Everyday conversation: Uncommon
General reading & writing: Very common
Academic: Common
Literature: Uncommon

Related words

Synonyms

Etymology

From Middle English whyle, from Old English hwīl, from Proto-West Germanic *hwīlu, from Proto-Germanic *hwīlō (compare Dutch wijl, Low German Wiel, German Weile, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål hvile (“rest”), Norwegian Nynorsk kvila (“rest”), Swedish vila (“rest”), Faroese and Icelandic hvíla (“rest”)) from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest”).

NounNoun×A word that identifies a person, place, thing, or idea.

ConjConjunction×A word that links words, phrases, or clauses.

PrepPreposition×A word placed before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show its relationship to another part of the sentence.

VerbVerb×A word that expresses an action, state, or occurrence.