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while
[ wahyl, hwahyl ]
noun
- a period or interval of time:
to wait a long while;
He arrived a short while ago.
- Archaic. a particular time or occasion.
conjunction
- during or in the time that.
- throughout the time that; as long as.
- even though; although:
While she appreciated the honor, she could not accept the position.
- at the same time that (showing an analogous or corresponding action):
The floor was strewn with books, while magazines covered the tables.
preposition
- Archaic. until.
verb (used with object)
- to cause (time) to pass, especially in some easy or pleasant manner (usually followed by away ).
while
/ ɲɪ /
conjunction
- subordinating at the same time that
please light the fire while I'm cooking
- subordinating all the time that
I stay inside while it's raining
- subordinating in spite of the fact that
while I agree about his brilliance I still think he's rude
- coordinating whereas; and in contrast
flats are expensive, while houses are cheap
- subordinating; used with a gerund during the activity of
while walking I often whistle
preposition
- dialect.another word for until
you'll never make any progress while you listen to me
you'll have to wait while Monday for these sheets
noun
- usually used in adverbial phrases a period or interval of time
once in a long while
- trouble or time (esp in the phrase worth one's while )
it's hardly worth your while to begin work today
- the whileat that time
he was working the while
Usage
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of while1
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of while1
Idioms and Phrases
- worth one's while, worth one's time, trouble, or expense:
The art exhibition that opened yesterday isn't worth your while.
- all the while. all the while ( def ).
More idioms and phrases containing while
- all the time (while)
- a while back
- every now and then (once in a while)
- fiddle while Rome burns
- get out while the getting is good
- in a while
- make hay while the sun shines
- once in a while
- quit while you're ahead
- strike while the iron's hot
- worth one's while
Example Sentences
“And while this creates more opportunities to engage and collaborate, and get to know other people better, it also creates the opposite.”
The show has been updated and expanded for the UK, showcasing 21 seasons of Versace's designs, while a new feature - Gianni Versace in London - will be added.
The cheapest Kop match ticket is still £39 while the most expensive remains at £45, "exactly the same as they were almost 15 years ago", the club said.
But while trading continued to show weakness in the US, which is its biggest market, sales rose in China and Canada.
They don't appear willing to spend money while the country's economic outlook is uncertain.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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