While (?), n. [AS. hwīl; akin to
OS. hwīl, hwīla, OFries. hwīle, D.
wigl, G. weile, OHG. wīla, hwīla,
hwīl, Icel. hvīla a bed, hvīld rest,
Sw. hvila, Dan. hvile, Goth. hweila a time, and
probably to L. quietus quiet, and perhaps to Gr. &?; the proper time
of season. √20. Cf. Quiet, Whilom.] 1.
Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as, one
while we thought him innocent. "All this while."
Shak.
This mighty queen may no while endure.
Chaucer.
[Some guest that] hath outside his welcome while,
And tells the jest without the smile.
Coleridge.
I will go forth and breathe the air a
while.
Longfellow.
2. That which requires time; labor; pains.
[Obs.]
Satan . . . cast him how he might quite her
while.
Chaucer.
At whiles, at times; at intervals.
And so on us at whiles it falls, to claim
Powers that we dread.
J. H. Newman.
--
The while, The whiles, in or
during the time that; meantime; while. Tennyson. --
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.
While, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Whiled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. 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.
Longfellow.
While, v. i. To loiter. [R.]
Spectator.
While, conj. 1. 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."
Chaucer.
Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual
improvement, while you take care not to overload it.
I. Watts.
2. Hence, under which circumstances; in which case;
though; whereas.
While as, While that, during or
at the time that. [Obs.]
While, prep. Until; till. [Obs.
or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
I may be conveyed into your chamber;
I'll lie under your bed while midnight.
Beau. &
Fl.
While (?), n. [AS. hwīl; akin to
OS. hwīl, hwīla, OFries. hwīle, D.
wigl, G. weile, OHG. wīla, hwīla,
hwīl, Icel. hvīla a bed, hvīld rest,
Sw. hvila, Dan. hvile, Goth. hweila a time, and
probably to L. quietus quiet, and perhaps to Gr. &?; the proper time
of season. √20. Cf. Quiet, Whilom.] 1.
Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as, one
while we thought him innocent. "All this while."
Shak.
This mighty queen may no while endure.
Chaucer.
[Some guest that] hath outside his welcome while,
And tells the jest without the smile.
Coleridge.
I will go forth and breathe the air a
while.
Longfellow.
2. That which requires time; labor; pains.
[Obs.]
Satan . . . cast him how he might quite her
while.
Chaucer.
At whiles, at times; at intervals.
And so on us at whiles it falls, to claim
Powers that we dread.
J. H. Newman.
--
The while, The whiles, in or
during the time that; meantime; while. Tennyson. --
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.
While, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Whiled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. 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.
Longfellow.
While, v. i. To loiter. [R.]
Spectator.
While, conj. 1. 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."
Chaucer.
Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual
improvement, while you take care not to overload it.
I. Watts.
2. Hence, under which circumstances; in which case;
though; whereas.
While as, While that, during or
at the time that. [Obs.]
While, prep. Until; till. [Obs.
or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
I may be conveyed into your chamber;
I'll lie under your bed while midnight.
Beau. &
Fl.
