while

[While]

While describes a length of time. If you were describing a first date, you might say, "We sat there for a while in an incredibly awkward silence."

...

Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as, one while we thought him innocent.

Noun
a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition; "he was here for a little while"; "I need to rest for a piece"; "a spell of good weather"; "a patch of bad weather"


n.
Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as, one while we thought him innocent.

n.
That which requires time; labor; pains.

v. t.
To cause to pass away pleasantly or without irksomeness or disgust; to spend or pass; -- usually followed by away.

v. i.
To loiter.

conj.
During the time that; as long as; whilst; at the same time that; as, while I write, you sleep.

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

prep.
Until; till.


While

While , n. [AS. hw'c6l; akin to OS. hw'c6l, hw'c6la, OFries. hw'c6le, D. wigl, G. weile, OHG. w'c6la, hw'c6la, hw'c6l, Icel. hv'c6la a bed, hv'c6ld rest, Sw. hvila, Dan. hvile, Goth. hweila a time, and probably to L. quietus quiet, and perhaps to Gr. the proper time of season. &root;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.
[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.
2. 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. 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

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.

While

While, v. i. To loiter. [R.] Spectator.

While

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.
2. Hence, under which circumstances; in which case; though; whereas. While as, While that, during or at the time that. [Obs.]

While

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

Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as, one while we thought him innocent.

To cause to pass away pleasantly or without irksomeness or disgust; to spend or pass; -- usually followed by away.

To loiter.

During the time that; as long as; whilst; at the same time that; as, while I write, you sleep.

Until; till.

...

Usage Examples

Achievement is not always success, while reputed failure often is. It is honest endeavor, persistent effort to do the best possible under any and all circumstances.

A man's sentiments are generally just and right, while it is second selfish thought which makes him trim and adopt some other view. The best reforms are worked out when sentiment operates, as it does in women, with the indignation of righteousness.

'Blind Curve,' the book I'm working on now, sprang from a crazy incident that happened to me last year while on my book tour. I was pulled out of my car for a minor traffic violation - an incident that escalated into my being thrown into cuffs and told I was going to jail. Except in my story, the hero doesn't get off as easily as I did.

A man has a tendency to accept you the way you are, while most women immediately start to pick flaws and want to change you.

A vegan diet takes care of most of what we need to do. But you'll also want to minimize the use of oils generally, because while olive oil and other vegetable oils are better for your heart than chicken fat, they are as fattening as animal fats.

Acceptable food rots while we are chased from bins behind restaurants, chased from sleeping on the street, chased from relieving ourselves unless we pay for food or gas, until finally we are so hungry, sleepless, smelly, constipated and beaten-down that we simply die of lack of will to live.

A policy is a temporary creed liable to be changed, but while it holds good it has got to be pursued with apostolic zeal.

Misspelled Form

while, qwhile, 2while, 3while, ewhile, awhile, swhile, qhile, 2hile, 3hile, ehile, ahile, shile, wqhile, w2hile, w3hile, wehile, wahile, wshile, wghile, wyhile, wuhile, wjhile, wnhile, wgile, wyile, wuile, wjile, wnile, whgile, whyile, whuile, whjile, whnile, whuile, wh8ile, wh9ile, whoile, whjile, whkile, whule, wh8le, wh9le, whole, whjle, whkle, whiule, whi8le, whi9le, whiole, whijle, whikle, whikle, whiole, whiple, whi:le, whike, whioe, whipe, whi:e, whilke, whiloe, whilpe, whil:e, whilwe, whil3e, whil4e, whilre, whilse, whilde, whilw, whil3, whil4, whilr, whils, whild, whilew, while3, while4, whiler, whiles, whiled.

Other Usage Examples

Absurdity is what I like most in life, and there's humor in struggling in ignorance. If you saw a man repeatedly running into a wall until he was a bloody pulp, after a while it would make you laugh because it becomes absurd.

'Tis easy enough to be pleasant, When life flows along like a song But the man worth while is the one who will smile when everything goes dead wrong.

A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.

A society deadened by a smothering network of laws while finding release in moral chaos is not likely to be either happy or stable.

A teacher is never too smart to learn from his pupils. But while runners differ, basic principles never change. So it's a matter of fitting your current practices to fit the event and the individual. See, what's good for you might not be worth a darn for the next guy.

Accordingly, it is our task to ensure that the Government formulates policies that foster the continued development of the IT sector while also providing for citizens' access to technology and opportunity for economic advancement.

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.

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