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(), n.[AS. hwl; akin to OS. hwl, hwla, OFries. hwle, D. wigl, G. weile, OHG. wla, hwla, hwl, Icel. hvla a bed, hvld 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, wo 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. スポンサード リンク
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