WHILE • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of While

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/waɪl/ /hwaɪl/ Listen

conjunction

While conj.

During the time that; as long as; whilst; at the same time that; as, while I write, you sleep. "While I have time and space." "Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to overload it."

Hence, under which circumstances; in which case; though; whereas.

While as, While that, during or at the time that. (Obs.)

noun

While n.

Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as, one while we thought him innocent. "All this while." "This mighty queen may no while endure." "(Some guest that) hath outside his welcome while, And tells the jest without the smile." "I will go forth and breathe the air a while."

That which requires time; labor; pains. (Obs.) "Satan... cast him how he might quite her while."

At whiles, at times; at intervals. "And so on us at whiles it falls, to claim Powers that we dread."

The while, The whiles, in or during the time that; meantime; while.

Within a while, in a short time; soon.

Worth while, worth the time which it requires; worth the time and pains; hence, worth the expense; as, it is not always worth while for a man to prosecute for small debts.

verb

While v. t. (past & past part. whiled; pres. part. whiling) To cause to pass away pleasantly or without irksomeness or disgust; to spend or pass; usually followed by away. "The lovely lady whiled the hours away."

While v. i. To loiter. (R.)

preposition

While prep. Until; till. (Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.) "I may be conveyed into your chamber; I'll lie under your bed while midnight."

See images of 'While'

Etymology of 'While'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"While" Quotes from Famous Books

... lecturing tours extending all over the Northern states, and, as most of this service was gratuitous, the cost to the community was a heavy tax on our limited resources. The socialistic propaganda was an educational movement of unquestionable value, and, while the immediate objects contemplated were never realized and are now lost to sight, yet the agitation had a permanent influence in awakening intelligence, giving an impetus to thought and enlarging the liberality of the ...

— My Friends at Brook Farm • John Van Der Zee Sears

... 269) the Goths began a systematic invasion of the Balkan provinces of the Roman Empire, attacking the Roman territory both by sea and by land. The tide of victory sometimes turned for a while, and at Naissus (now Nish in Servia, near the border of Bulgaria) the Goths were defeated by the Emperor Claudius. Their defeated army was then shut up in the Balkan Mountains for a winter, and the Gothic ...

— Bulgaria • Frank Fox

... principles, announced by that perfect mouth in a soft voice full of metallic vibrations, gave me a strange sensation. While speaking to me she drew her draperies close to her as if to make room for me at her side. At times her eyes followed the motions of the sea-gulls circling above our heads, then again they rested keenly upon my face as if she wanted to read the impression her words had made ...

— Without Dogma • Henryk Sienkiewicz

... forward screens to prevent possibility of draught, and bank up pillows to allow a glimpse of the road beneath. Then Sylvia clasped her arms tightly round the nurse's neck, the doctor raised her feet, there was a moment's dizzy confusion, while her eyes swam and her ears hummed, and there she lay on the sofa, as at the end of a long and arduous journey, while her attendants wrapped her up in blankets and eiderdowns, and looked anxiously to see how she had ...

— More about Pixie • Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey

... strengthened his settlement in the course of one year by the addition of several families, but the war coming on, they were driven from their lands with the loss of some men and many cattle, besides almost all their houses and what other property they had. They afterwards returned and remained a while, but consuming more than they were able to raise, they came to the Manathans where all the fugitives sojourned at that time, and there Master Doughty officiated as a minister. After the flame of war was out and the peace was concluded—but in such a manner that no one ...

— Narrative of New Netherland • Various

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