Forms: 1–3 hwile; from c. 1300 onwards as in WHILE sb.; also 4 quel, 5 whele, Sc. quhel, 6 whel, 8 wile, 9 dial. whell; 6 vhol, 9 dial. wol(l. [As adv., OE. hwíle, accus. of hwíl WHILE sb.; as conj., abbreviation of OE. phr. þá hwíle þe, ME. þe while þat = ‘during the time that’ (see WHILE sb. 2 a), = OHG. dia wîla (unz) so long as (MHG. die wîle while, G. dieweil while, because), Du. dewijl; similar abbreviation has given G. weil because, Du. wijl, NFris. wîl.
In senses A. 1 and 2, ME. while may be in some texts a reduced form of whilen, WHILOM.]
A. adv. (adj.)
† 1. At a time or times, sometimes; esp. introducing each of two or more parallel phrases or clauses: At one time … at another time; now … then: = WHILOM 1. Obs.
a. 1000. Hymns, iii. 44, 5 (Gr.). Hwile mid weorce, hwile mid worde, hwile mid ʓeþohte þearle scyldi.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 133. Ure helend saweð his halie word hwile þurh his aȝene muðe and hwile þurh ðere apostlene muðe.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 207. Eȝen bihelden þat he ne sholden, wile idel, wile unnut, wile ifel.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7433. Quil wit gleu, and quil wit sang,… Þus he serued saul lang.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 338. For knowlage off mony statis May quhile awailȝe full mony gatis.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron. (Royal MS.), I. Prol. 32. For Romans to rede is delytabyle, Suppose that thai be quhyle bot fable.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, V. 611. Quhill wald he think to luff hyr our the laiff, And othir quhill he thocht on his dissaiff.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems (S.T.S.), xxxi. 24. Lufe sall him hald Wtin the dungeoun of dispair; Quhyle hett, quhyle cald.
1584. Hudson, Du Bartas’ Judith, VI. 96. While vp he lifts his head, while lets it fall.
1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 184. The intellect (fixing it selfe, while on one, and while on another wonder of matter and workemanship).
† 2. At one time, formerly, once: = WHILOM 2.
c. 1000. Deor’s Compl. 36 (Gr.). Ic bi me sylfum secʓan wille, þæt ic hwile wæs Heodeninga scop.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 17. Ne do þu þin uuel on-gein uuel swa me dude hwile.
c. 1250. Owl & Night., 1016. Þeȝ eni god man to hom come, So wile dude sum from rome.
c. 1305. St. Andrew, 29, in E. E. P. (1862), 99. Þe gywes while nome And slowe him as he worþie was.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2580. Þat god of miȝt … Hwich of marie þat mayde briȝt while tok flechs & blode.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., I. Prol. 15. Thai þat set haly þare delite Gestis or storyis for to write,… As Gwydo de Calumpna quhile.
† b. as adj. That formerly existed, occurred, etc.; former, ‘late’: UMQUHILE B., WHILOM 2 b.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, III. 363. Þey … were y-dubbid of a duke ffor her while domes.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., II. viii. 756. For honoure of his modyr qwhile.
† 3. For a or the time, temporarily; at the same time, meanwhile. (See also THEREWHILE.) Obs. rare.
a. 1500. Colkelbie Sow, 828 (Bann. MS.). Thocht he wald preve the thrid penny quhyle hid, Quhilk for the tyme no fruct nor proffeit did.
1508. Kennedie, Flyting w. Dunbar, 428. Thow beggit with a pardoun in all kirkis,… And ondir nycht quhyle stall thou staggis et stirkis.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., I. II. x. (1690), 110. Yours while J. Howell.
B. conj. (or in conj. phr.) and prep.
1. While (that): during the time that. (Now expressed by while alone: cf. THAT conj. 7.)
Often with ellipsis before a pple. or other predicative word or phrase, e.g., while walking, while at rest, while an infant.
1154. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1137. Ðet lastede þa .xix. wintre wile Stephne was king.
c. 1200. Ormin, 2393. Whil þatt ȝho wass Wiþþ hire kinn att hame.
c. 1275. Lay., 14873. Þat we solle hatie wile þat we libbeþ [c. 1205 þa while þa we luuien].
13[?]. Cursor M., 6088 (Gött.). Ne hones noght quile ȝe er etand.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2537. While men hunted after hem þai han a-wai schaped.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton), II. lvii. (1859), 55. While that thou and I were coupled to geders, thou madest me to lede a ful vnthryfty lyf.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. v. 71. Quhill that of Troy and Ilion stude the ring.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., I. ii. 178. While that the Armed hand doth fight abroad, Th’ aduised head defends it selfe at home.
1611. Sir W. Mure, Misc. Poems, ii. 67. Quhil in this weak estait, all meanes I soght To be aweng’d on him.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 977. While thus he spake, th’ Angelic Squadron bright Turnd fierie red.
1779. Mirror, No. 32, ¶ 6. While we were sitting together, talking of old stories,… John entered.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., v. I. 662. Cornish was arrested while transacting business on the Exchange.
1882. Besant, All Sorts, xv. While he was laughing the door opened.
b. With special reference (a) to the extent of the time: During the whole, or until the end, of the time that; as long as (see also 2 a); (b) to the limits of the time: Within, or before the end of, the time that.
(a) c. 1230. Hali Meid., 6. He wule carie for hire … hwil ha riht luueð him.
c. 1300. Havelok, 301. Daþeit hwo it hire yeue Euere-more hwil i liue!
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 2255. Yf it worth sall to wy whil þe world standes.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 161. Whyle an hooke is a yonge Spyre, hit may be wonde into a wyth.
c. 1430. Two Cookery-bks., 23. Wasshem … whele þey ben slepyr.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 74/2. Chylde, whyle hyt can not speke, proles.
1529. More, Dyaloge, I. xv. 20/1. I shall loue her ye worse whyle I lyue.
1610. Shaks., Temp., III. ii. 120. While thou liu’st keepe a good tongue in thy head.
1706. Prior, Ode to Queen, xix. Nought done the Hero deem’d, while ought undone remain’d.
1742. Fielding, J. Andrews, II. iv. She told her ‘while there was life there was hope.’
1848. Dickens, Dombey, xxxii. The confidence of this house … is not to be abused … while I have eyes and ears.
(b) c. 1300. Havelok, 363. Him for to hoslen, and forto shriue, Hwil his bodi were on liue.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XI. 287. Whil þow art ȝong and ȝep, and þy wepne kene, Awreke þe þerwith.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 5. Wherfor, syrs,… whyll ȝe byn here, makyth amendes for your mys-dedys.
c. 1450. Mankind, 77, in Macro Plays, 4. Lett ws be mery wyll we be here!
c. 1550. Lyndesay, Tragedie, 303. Amend ȝour lyfe now, quhill ȝour day Induris.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 263. Set him betimes to School … While yet his youth is flexible and green.
1825. T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Passion & Princ., xi. III. 253. I wish … that to-morrow … you would step down to the Tower;… while you are there, you might just go to the London Docks.
1866. Ruskin, Crown Wild Olive, iii. 203. All the greatness she [sc. England] ever had,… she won while her fields were green and her faces ruddy.
† c. Without necessarily implying duration: At the time that; when. Obs.
a. 1300. Fragm. Pop. Sci. (Wright), 62. As me mai the mone i-seo while heo is nue riȝt.
c. 1320. Cast. Love (ed. Hall), 403. For in tyme whill he fre was, He hede with him bothe Merci and Pes.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 15461 (Trin.). Whil ȝe se me kisse him Leye hondes on him allone.
1477. Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1879), I. 209. We half grantyt to the forsad Paton and Jonat the tak of Rechy Jak quhel it ma vake.
d. During which time; and meanwhile.
c. 1400. Warres of the Jewes, in Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry (1774), I. x. 311. In Tyberyus tyme the trewe emperour Syr Sesar hym sulf saysed in Rome Whyle Pylot was provost under that prynce ryche.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 809. Thus have I sung of Fields, and Flocks, and Trees,… While mighty Cæsar, thund’ring from afar, Seeks on Euphrates Banks the Spoils of War.
1766. Goldsm., Vicar W., vi. Moses sate reading, while I taught the little ones.
1820. Keats, Lamia, I. 242. He pass’d,… while her eyes Follow’d his steps.
1905. Elin. Glyn, Viciss. Evangeline, 79. Mr. Montgomerie said rather gallant things to me,… while the girls looked shocked.
2. transf. with various connotations. a. As long as, so long as (implying ‘provided that,’ ‘if only’).
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 60. Thar mycht succed na female, Quhill foundyn mycht be ony male.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 14. Þe kirk may not iustli priue þe comyning of cristun men, nor taking of þe sacraments … wyle he is iust.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xlvii. § 4. Neither boldnes can make vs presume as long as we are kept vnder with the sense of our own wretchednes; nor, while we trust in the mercie of God through Christ Iesus, feare be able to tyrannize ouer vs.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., i. I. 47. The encroachments of the ecclesiastical power … produced much more happiness than misery, while the ecclesiastical power was in the hands of the only class that had studied history.
b. At the same time that (implying opposition or contrast); adversatively, when on the contrary or on the other hand, whereas; concessively, it being granted that; sometimes nearly = although.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., I. i. 74. Painefully to poare vpon a Booke, To seeke the light of truth, while truth the while Doth falsely blinde the eye-sight of his looke.
1617. Sir W. Mure, Misc. Poems, xxi. 23. Whill others aime at greatnes boght with blood, Not to bee great thou stryves, bot to bee good.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacræ, III. i. § 7. While they deny a Deity, they assert other things on far less reason.
1719. Watts, Ps. xxiii. There would I find a settled Rest, (While others go and come).
1749. Hartley, Observ. Man, I. i. § 2. 75. White is vulgarly thought to be the most uncompounded of all Colours, while yet it really arises from a certain Proportion of the Seven primary Colours.
1857. Buckle, Civiliz., I. x. 608. While the object of the people was to free themselves from the yoke, the object of the nobles was merely to find new sources of excitement.
1864. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., v. (1875), 52. In rude and unsettled states of society men respect forms and obey facts, while careless of rules and principles.
1908. R. Bagot, A. Cuthbert, vi. 51. While regretting the sorrow which had fallen upon him, Miss Cuthbert was nevertheless glad that her brother was free.
c. In modern colorless use: At the same time that, besides that, in addition to the fact that; often = and at the same time, and besides.
[1750. Shenstone, Ode Rural Eleg., 161. There, while the seeds of future blossoms dwell, ’Tis colour’d for the sight, perfum’d to please the smell.]
1860. Löwenthal, Morphy’s Games Chess, 165. A very good move, for while it brings the Queen into a more attacking position, it at the same time defends White’s Queen’s Pawn.
1904. Times, 25 May, 3/6. A large smoking-room, the walls of which are decorated with white enamelled panelling, while the frieze and ceiling are in modelled plaster.
3. († Also with that, at.) Up to the time that; till, until. Now dial. (chiefly north.).
Occas. with reference to place, etc.: † while it come to = as far as, up to.
13[?]. Seuyn Sages (W.), 1644. Dwelle thou, wil ich arisen be.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IV. 763. Man is in-to dreding … of thingis to cum, quhill he Haue of the end the certante.
1419. Munim. de Melros (Bann. Club), 502. Þe qwhilkis Indentours þe forsaid Nychole has delyuerit till þe said abbot and Conuent … qwhile at þai be fullely assythit of þe said fowrty pund.
c. 1420. Liber Cocorum (1862), 46. Fyrst sethe þy mustuls quyl shel of lepe In water.
c. 1460. Battle of Otterburn, liv. (Child, Ball., VI. 298), They swapped together whyll that they swette.
c. 1480. Henryson, Bludy Serk, 40. To fecht with him … Quhill ane wer dungin doun.
1524. Q. Marg., in St. Papers Hen. VIII., IV. 129. I thowt best to put them both in the castel of Edynbrou, vhol that thay fynd a vay how the Bodarz may be vel reulyd.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 7. Thair was nevir perfytt stabillitie quhill that the Douglas was perisch deid and gane.
1586. Marlowe, 1st Pt. Tamburl., IV. iv. Faste and welcome sir, while hunger make you eat.
1589. Nashe, Martin Marprel., Wks. (Grosart), I. 117. Let him swell while he burst.
1688. Bunyan, Heavenly Footman (1724), 77. Run sweet Babe, while thou art weary, and then I will take thee up and carry thee.
1759. R. Brown, Compl. Farmer, 9. Take horse-aloes … give him the purge…, and ride him out again while he purges.
1813. Hogg, Queen’s Wake, 81. They drank of the byshopis wyne Quhill they culde drynk ne mair.
1825. Brockett, N. C. Gloss., s.v., Stay while I come back.
1872. J. Hartley’s Yorksh. Ditties, Ser. II. 17. We blushed wol us faces wor all in a blaze.
b. as prep. Up to (a time), up to the time of; till, until. Now dial. (chiefly north.).
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 1276. Þat þou fast noȝt whil to morne.
1464–5. in Acts Parlt. Scot. (1874), XII. 30/2. Þt þe lew be proclamit to xiij s. iiij d. fra fasterin sewyn furth next tocum and quhill thane to haue course as thai haue now.
1559. in Wodrow Soc. Misc. (1844), 268. Thay … wald not beleif me … quhill now.
1587. Greene, Euphues, Wks. (Grosart), VI. 251. Their commaunds were dated but while death.
1605. Shaks., Macb., III. i. 44. While then, God be with you.
1662. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., III. xxiii. § 4. The Apothecary gathers his simples in Summer, which haply he may not use while Winter.
1720. Lett. Lond. Jrnl. (1721), 14. Tho’ he sweat and scrub while Doomsday.
1722. in Rutland Gloss. (1891), 39. I was 2 dayes; And my Son was 2 days. And the third day wile three a Clock.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., s.v., It wants a quarter while nine o’clock.
4. While as (also occas. as one word, cf. WHENAS, WHEREAS). a. = 1. Obs. or rare arch.
1563. Googe, Eglogs, etc. (Arb.), 69. Whyle as the rauenyng Wolues he prayed his gylteles lyfe to saue.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. i. 225. Pirates may make cheape penyworths of their pillage,… While as the silly Owner of the goods Weepes ouer them.
c. 1620. Z. Boyd, Zion’s Flowers (1855), 138. Hee spares while as the faults of men are young.
c. 1690. N. Burn, in Roxb. Ball. (1888), VI. 608. Burn cannot his grief asswage, whileas his dayes endureth.
1786. Har’st Rig (1801), xci. But now, whileas the show’r does last, ’Tis no thought proper they shud fast.
1812. Cary, Dante, Parad., XXV. 79. Whileas I spake.
† b. = 2 b. Obs. rare.
1625. Hart, Anat. Ur., I. ii. 13. The chiefe … part of Physicke diagnosticke … is … neglected; while as the ordinarie sort of Physitians do onely labour to know … the nature … of the disease by the … indication of the … vrine.
1646. R. Baillie, Anabaptism (1647), 98. To Christ they give but one nature, while as all Divines since his Incarnation give him two.
C. Combinations (rare): † while being a. temporary, or temporal; while-ever (whilever) conj. [see EVER adv. 8 e; for the abbreviated spelling cf. wherever], as long as.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 40. This time-lasting World, and every while-being thing in it.
1776. Ann. Reg., Hist. Eur., 73/1. He solemnly declared, that while-ever he sate in that house, he would not endure such language.
1878. Jas. Thomson, Plenipotent. Key, 19. She had had her husbands five, And would have more whilever she was alive.
