while

Study(25)

UK /ʍaɪl/ US /wæl/

conj 4verb 4noun 3prep 1name 1

Collocations

(noun.)

ADJ

brief, little, short

fair, good, long, some

After a long while of waiting in the doctor's office, Sarah finally heard her name called.

VERB + WHILE

take

It took a while for the new employee to understand how the company system worked.

PREP

after a ~

She felt nervous at first, but after a while she felt more comfortable speaking English in class.

for a/the ~

We sat in the garden for a while, enjoying the afternoon sun.

in a ~

The doctor said she would see me in a while after finishing with another patient.

PHRASES

all the while

She smiled and nodded during the meeting, but she was nervous all the while.

once in a while

I like to treat myself to ice cream once in a while.

(for) quite a while

She lived in that small apartment for quite a while before moving to the city.

a while back

My cousin moved to London a while back, and we've stayed in touch ever since.

Definitions

noun

An uncertain duration of time, a period of time.

He lectured for quite a long while.

It’s a long while since anyone lived there, so it’s a ruin now.

An uncertain duration of time, a period of time.

conj

During the same time that.

He was sleeping while I was singing.

Driving while intoxicated is against the law.

Although.

This case, while interesting, is a bit frustrating.

While I would love to help, I am very busy at the moment.

Until.

I'll wait while you've finished painting.

To dark is still used in Swaledale (Yorkshire) in the sense of to lie hid, as, 'Te rattens [rats] mun ha bin darkin whel nu [till now]; we hannot heerd tem tis last fortnith'.

As long as.

While you're at school you may live at home.

While there's quiet I can sleep.

prep

Until.

I may be conveyed into your chamber; I'll lie under your bed while midnight.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by s

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

worth one's while

Beneficial and important enough on which to spend time, effort, or money.

Doing volunteer work to help others is truly worth one's while.

strike while the iron is hot

To strike a hot piece of metal, especially iron, with a mallet or other tool before it cools, while it is still hot enough to be shaped.

make hay while the sun shines

To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.

Until the mid-2010s, the ROSCOs 'made hay while the sun shone', taking advantage of growing passenger demand and expanding services to find homes for their rolling assets - in some

once in a while

Occasionally; sometimes.

I send her a note once in a while to let her know I'm thinking of her.

all the while

At the same time as, usually over an extended period.

The good fortune which attended him throughout life may have been partly owing to this cause as well as to his undoubted valour, for though he never lost a battle, nothing is more

Example Bank

He lectured for quite a long while.

Wiktionary

It’s a long while since anyone lived there, so it’s a ruin now.

Wiktionary

Do the good that's nearest Though it's dull at whiles.

Wiktionary

He was sleeping while I was singing.

Wiktionary

Driving while intoxicated is against the law.

Wiktionary

I lived in Ávila for two lustra while I was a child.

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, while is marked as archaic. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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