| 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. &unr_; 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. [ 1913 Webster ] This mighty queen may no while endure. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ] [ Some guest that ] hath outside his welcome while,
And tells the jest without the smile. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ] I will go forth and breathe the air a while. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. That which requires time; labor; pains. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Satan . . . cast him how he might quite her while. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
At whiles, at times; at intervals. [ 1913 Webster ] And so on us at whiles it falls, to claim
Powers that we dread. J. H. Newman. [ 1913 Webster ] --
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
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| 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. [ 1913 Webster ] Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to overload it. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Hence, under which circumstances; in which case; though; whereas. [ 1913 Webster ]
While as,
While that, during or at the time that. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
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| Whiles | adv. [ See While, n., and -wards. ] 1. Meanwhile; meantime. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ] The good knight whiles humming to himself the lay of some majored troubadour. Sir. W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. sometimes; at times. [ Scot. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]
The whiles. See under While, n. [ 1913 Webster ]
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