The whiles

The whiles
While While, n. [AS. hw[=i]l; akin to OS. hw[=i]l, hw[=i]la, OFries. hw[=i]le, D. wigl, G. weile, OHG. w[=i]la, hw[=i]la, hw[=i]l, Icel. hv[=i]la a bed, hv[=i]ld 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. [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]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • The whiles — Whiles 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Whiles — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • The while — While While, n. [AS. hw[=i]l; akin to OS. hw[=i]l, hw[=i]la, OFries. hw[=i]le, D. wigl, G. weile, OHG. w[=i]la, hw[=i]la, hw[=i]l, Icel. hv[=i]la a bed, hv[=i]ld rest, Sw. hvila, Dan. hvile, Goth. hweila a time, and probably to L. quietus quiet,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Whiles — Whiles, conj. During the time that; while. [Archaic] Chaucer. Fuller. [1913 Webster] Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him. Matt. v. 25. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • Whiles — Recorded in many spellings including While, Whiles, Willas, Wiles, Willes, Wills, Willys, Williss, Willos and Wileson, this is an English patronymic surname. It is however arguably of early Germanic or Anglo Saxon pre 7th century origins deriving …   Surnames reference

  • The four Orders — Order Or der, n. [OE. ordre, F. ordre, fr. L. ordo, ordinis. Cf. {Ordain}, {Ordinal}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Regular arrangement; any methodical or established succession or harmonious relation; method; system; as: (a) Of material things, like the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • The Orders four — Order Or der, n. [OE. ordre, F. ordre, fr. L. ordo, ordinis. Cf. {Ordain}, {Ordinal}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Regular arrangement; any methodical or established succession or harmonious relation; method; system; as: (a) Of material things, like the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • The whilst — Whilst Whilst, adv. [From {Whiles}; cf. {Amongst}.] While. [Archaic] [1913 Webster] Whilst the emperor lay at Antioch. Gibbon. [1913 Webster] {The whilst}, in the meantime; while. [Archaic.] Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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