Forms: 1, 4 hwil, (1 huil), 2–5 wil, 3 hwile, (ȝwile, ȝwyle, ȝuile), 3–5, 7 whil, 4 huile, (wyel), 4–5 whyl, whylle, 4–6 whyll, wyle, 4–7 whyle, (chiefly Sc.) whill, 4–5 wile, 5 wyl, wyll, (weil, whylghe), 5, 7 whille, 6 wylle, will, (whyell, vyl, Sc. vhyle, vhill), 3– while; 3–4 quil, 3–5 quile, 4 quyl, quyle, quille, 4–6 Sc. quhile, qwhil, 4–7 Sc. quhil, (9 arch.) quhill, 4–8 Sc. quhyle, 5 qwile, qwyle, qwil, qwill, Sc. qwhile, (qwhiel), qwhill(e, quhille, 5, 6 Sc. qwyl, 5–6 Sc. quhyl, qwhyl, 6 Sc. quhyll. β. 3 hwule, whule, wule. [OE. hwíl str. fem. = OFris. hwîle, wîle (Fris. wîl), OS. hwîl, hwîla time (MDu. wîle hour, moment, Du. wijl), OHG. hwîl, (h)wîla point or period of time (MHG. wîle, G. weile), ON. hvíla bed (Sw. hvila, Da. hvile repose, refreshment), Goth. hweila time:—OTeut. *χwīlō, the first syllable of which derives from Indo-eur. qwi-, represented by L. quiēs rest, tranquillus (= *-quilnos) quiet, OSl. počiti to rest; cf. the sense of ON. hvíla and hyíld rest, repose, and of the continental forms of the verb.]
I. 1. A portion of time, considered with respect to its duration; = TIME sb. 1, 2, rarely 4 or 6. Now almost exclusively in certain connections (see below), the ordinary word being time. Formerly with gen. while’s. Rarely pl.
971. Blickl. Hom., 125. Hwilce hwile hine wille Drihten her on worlde lætan.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1591. And swuþe longe hire is þe hwile, An ek steape hire þunþ a mile.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22161. Als symon magus in his quile Right sua sal he þe folk bigile.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 12562. Holy cherche, despyse and fyle, Þat wyl y bleþly, alle my whyle.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 221. He despeired for the while.
1473. Paston Lett., III. 89. They shall dwell ther I wot no whylghe.
1485. Caxton, Paris & V. (1868), 82. After a whyle of tyme.
1533. More, Answ. Poysoned Bk., Wks. 1053/2. Though ye see euery man dye here for the whyle, yet I shall … reyse them all vp … at the last day.
1547–8. in Feuillerat, Revels Edw. VI. (1914), 32. During the whiles thies maskes were a makyng.
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife, etc. (1638), 277. Have but that while’s patience, you may passe it drie-foot.
1644. Digby, Nat. Bodies, xv. § 7. 135. The fire, in all this while of continuall application to the body it thus anatomiseth [etc.].
a. 1683. Oldham, On Morwent, Wks. (1686), 75. Thy prudent Conduct had so learnt to measure The different whiles of Toil and Leisure.
1828. Southey, in Corr. w. C. Bowles (1881), 133. I am now … stealing whiles of time for the Colloquies, which are approaching to their close.
1829. Carlyle, Ess., Novalis (1840), II. 228. After short whiles, all is again swimming vaguely before them.
1841. Catlin, N. Amer. Ind., liv. Filling up the while with nonsensical garrulity.
1891. in Milne, Rom. Pro-consul (1911), 26. We had a capital while together.
b. with adj. expressing quantity, as good (GOOD a. 19), great, little, long, short; also any, no, some: forming esp. advb. phr. = for a (long, etc.) time.
Beowulf, 146. Wæs seo hwil micel.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Gen., 486. Lytle hwile sceolde he his lifes niotan.
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 221. He wes to sume wile anstandende.
c. 1200. Ormin, 2392. Ȝho bilæf wiþþ hire frend Ȝet affterr þatt summ while.
c. 1290. St. Dunstan, 51, in S. Eng. Leg., 20. A guode ȝwyle it was a-gon.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3124. He began to luf him sua Þat he moght na quil him for-ga.
1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 632. Whether he lyf lang or short while.
c. 1450. Mankind, 574, in Macro Plays, 22. Ewynsonge hath be in þe saynge, I trow, a fayer wyll; I am yrke of yt.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe, II. xxviii. (1541), 45. To liue lesse while than other men.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 175 b. Philippus … had slept a great long while together.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 81. The shorter while you staie vpon the discord, the lesse offence you giue.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 506. Having enjoied these honors a small while.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 33, ¶ 1. I do not know any thing that has pleased me so much a great while.
1796. Burney, Mem. Metastasio, II. 201. I have not written to you a long while.
1836. Newman, Lett. (1891), II. 197. I am not more lonely than I have been a long while.
1871. Ruskin, Fors Clav., ii. 15. A little while since, I was paying a visit in Ireland.
1897. Flor. Montgomery, Tony, i. The two sat for a little while at the other end of the carriage.
c. A while (also rarely one while): (a) as sb. phr., a time, esp. a short or moderate time (chiefly with certain preps., viz. after, for, in, † within); contextually = a considerable time, some time, as in quite a while (colloq.). (b) as advb. phr. = for a (short or moderate) time (see also AWHILE).
Once in a while: see ONCE 8 c.
(a) [c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Luke iv. 5. In momento temporis, in huil tides.]
a. 1300. Havelok, 722. Ne were neuere but ane hwile Þat it ne gan a wind to rise.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1620. Þe burne byfore baltazar was broȝt in a whyle.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 4573. Wyþinne a wyle þer wer y-dyȝt, Mo þan ten þousant of Sarȝyns wyȝt.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VII. x. 226. Within a whyle they sawe a toure as whyte as ony snowe.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. iv. 29. Quhen Apollo list … leif the flude Exanthus, for a quhile, To vesy Delos.
1526. Tindale, John xvi. 16. After a whyle ye shall nott se me.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lxi. 213. They were within a whyell far fro ye londes of ye .ii. admyralles sarazyns.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, IV. (1577), V viij b. After a whiles silence.
1621. Lady M. Wroth, Urania, 218. Pleasantly they passed a while together.
1718. Bp. Hutchinson, Witchcraft, xv. (1720), 232. After a while’s Practice.
1847. Halliwell, s.v., A while’s work, work requiring a certain time.
1853. Dickens, Bleak Ho., xliv. It is to be forgotten now; to be forgotten for a while.
1870. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (ed. 2), I. App. YY 700. So Eadwig escapes, at least for one while.
1900. Longman’s Mag., March, 450. She … rather enjoyed getting wet through once in a while.
1905. Elin. Glyn, Viciss. Evangeline, 149. It was quite a while before he elicited the facts from me.
(b) 1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2352. He sede he moste wende a wule out of þis lond.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1309. Quen seth a quil had loked in, He sagh … mikel welth and win. Ibid., 3622. A wyel sco hir vmbithogt.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., ii. I … toke a boke to rede apon a quhile.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 97. The sayde league continued but a while.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 918. The warie fiend Stood on the brink of Hell and look’d a while, Pondering his Voyage.
1733. Fielding, Don Quix. in Eng., II. xiv. My landlord and the coachman won’t overtake them one while, I warrant.
1781. Johnson, L. P., Fenton. He was a while secretary to Charles earl of Orrery.
1816. J. Wilson, City of Plague, II. ii. I will sit down a while.
1873. Spencer, Study Sociol., vii. (1877), 148. The Smallpox epidemic, which a while since so unaccountably spread.
d. with demonstr. adj. that or this (now only with all preceding), forming advb. phr.
c. 1480. Henryson, Robene & Makyne, 59. Makyne, I haif bene heir this quhyle; at hame god gif I wair.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. ii. 16. Her other sisters…, Who all this while were at their wanton rest.
1604. Shaks., Oth., III. iv. 177. I haue this while with leaden thoughts beene prest.
1629. Gaule, Pract. Theories Christ, 355. The Iewes rested that Sabbath now; Christ rested that while in his Graue.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 51, ¶ 8. He would see he has been mistaken all this while.
1871. Smiles, Charac., ii. (1876), 34. All this while, too, the training of the character is in progress.
e. with qualifying sb.: The duration of, or time needed for (what is denoted by the sb.). Obs. or arch.
Breathing-while, life-while, minute while, paternoster while, etc.: see the sbs.
13[?]. [see TWELVEMONTH 3].
1377, 1591. [see MINUTE sb.1 1].
c. 1430. Chev. Assigne, 286. To speke with hym but a speche whyle.
c. 1450. in Aungier, Syon (1840), 274. Al the bellys schal be ronge one Miserere whyle at leste, and than the chaptyr belle schal be ronge oo Pater noster while.
1593, 1873. [see BREATHING vbl. sb. 10].
1676. Wycherley, Pl. Dealer, III. i. Stay but a making Water while, (as one may say) and I’ll be with you again.
2. a. The while (OE. þá hwíle accus.): (a) as advb. phr.: During the time, in the meantime, meanwhile; (b) followed by conj. † the or that, and later with ellipsis. arch. = WHILE conj. 1. b. All the while (with constructions as above): During the whole time (that). † c. To while (with constructions as above): For a time; for the time, meanwhile; for the time that, while. So þer hwile, etc.: see THEREWHILE. Obs. † d. In the while: in the mean time, meanwhile. Obs. (For in the mean while see MEAN WHILE.) † e. Most while (cf. MOST C.): on most occasions, for the most part. † f. By while: on occasion, from time to time. Over while: at times. Cf. UMQUHILE.
a. (a) c. 960. Æthelwold, Rule St. Benet (Schröer), ix. 33. Man þreo rædinga ræde and þry ræpsas, and ealle þa ʓebroþra þa hwile sittan.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1273. Þe king þe wule londone bisegede uaste.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. VII. 8. What schul we wimmen worche þe while?
a. 1425. Cursor M., 3889 (Trin.). Þe while [Cott. to quils] holde lya in bedde Þenne shal þou rachel wedde.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. i. 211. Ile not be by the while. Ibid. (1610), Temp., III. i. 24. If you’l sit downe Ile beare your Logges the while.
1772. Mackenzie, Man World, I. xi. ‘I will go,’ said she, sobbing, ‘and pray for him the while.’
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xx. Mr. Chuckster … telling him he was wanted inside, bade him go in and he would mind the chaise the while.
1891. ‘J. S. Winter,’ Lumley, iv. Wouldn’t you like some lollipops to eat the while?
(b) c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., x. Eall hie [sc. earfoðnesse] us þyncað þy leohtran ða hwile þe þa oncras fæste bioð.
971. Blickl. Hom., 35. Swa we sceolan þa hwile þe we lifʓaþ her on worlde.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 7. Þis witeȝede dauid þe þe salm scop in þe saltere muchel erdþon þa wile he liuede.
c. 1290. St. Cuthbert, 3, in S. Eng. Leg., 359. Þe ȝwyle þat he was a ȝong child.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1962. Þo was traen al a louerd þe wule it wolde ylaste.
c. 1425. Engl. Conq. Irel., 16. The whill the host was thus in Ossory.
1594. Marlowe & Nashe, Dido, I. i. A 4. The while thine eyes attract their sought for ioyes.
1605. Shaks., Macb., III. ii. 32. Vnsafe the while, that wee must laue Our Honors in these flattering streames.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Sacrifice, xxxviii. I for both have wept When all my tears were bloud, the while you slept.
1650. Carstaires, Lett. (1846), 68. Not the whyle I was at home with you nor since.
1820. Keats, Lamia, II. 68. Beseeching him, the while his hand she wrung, To change his purpose.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., III. 380. The while his right [hand] did shade His eyes from the bright sun.
b. a. 1400. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., xxix. v. 49. For al þe while he was so seek, He feled neuere lisse ne lith, Þerfore hym þouȝte beter legles.
1482. Cely Papers (Camden), 109. Hyt was not comen to Bregys all the whyle he wus there.
1539. Bible (Great), 1 Sam. xxii. 4. They dwelt wt him all the whyle that Dauid kepte him selfe in hold.
1600. J. Melvill, Autob. & Diary (Wodrow Soc.), 485. He remeanit in the town all the whyll.
1654–66. Earl Orrery, Parthen. (1676), 685. All the while I was speaking, I was much concern’d in Statira’s looks.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 539. All the while Sonorous mettal blowing Martial sounds.
1700. Hickes, in Pepys’s Diary, etc. (1879), VI. 206. She was shut up all the while we were there.
1844. Disraeli, Coningsby, VIII. vi. The rogue had an eye all the while to quarter-day.
a. 1864. Hawthorne, Septimius (1872), 152. But all the while he was gone there was the mark of a bloody footstep impressed upon the stone doorstep of the Hall.
c. c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Luke viii. 13. Qui ad tempus credunt, ðaðe to tid vel to huil ʓelefað.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 348. Þonne meaht þu hine betan to hwile.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1104. We sulen it fren, Ðor quile ðu wilt ðor-inne ben.
13[?]. Cursor M., 22060 (Edinb.). An angel … To þe dragune suiþ he wanne,… And in þat pitte him sperid faste, To-quile a thusande ȝier to laste.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 4141. To whyle þe kyng & his cosyns In loue loken ar þer lynes, Richesse þey hadde ynow to wylle. Ibid. (1338), Chron. (1810), 71. To while þat he was fresch þei fond him fulle austere.
d. 1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 77. Yet in ye while, thei would neuer the more foloe the steppes of thesame good menne.
1605. B. Jonson, Sejanus, II. ii. In the while, Take from their strength some one or twaine, or more Of the maine Fautors.
a. 1617. Bayne, Lect. (1634), 11. In the while, wee must labour to keepe a watch over our soules.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), II. 111. Mary, in the while, being frighted almost to death.
e. c. 1383. in Eng. Hist. Rev., Oct. (1911), 742. Neiþir preestis neiþir dekenis shulden ben occupied in ony seculer office in lordis courtis most whil seculer men ben sufficient to do suche seculer office.
f. 13[?]. Orfeo, 8. Sum [layes ben] of happes þat fallen by whyle.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 97. He cessiþ to harme hem, or fendiþ hem ouer wyl.
3. spec. The time spent (connoting the trouble taken or labor performed) in doing something. † a. in phrases such as to quit or yield (one) his while, to repay (him) for his trouble, also ironically, to ‘pay (him) out’; to lose or spill one’s while, to waste one’s time or effort. Obs.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 137. Mon sullðe his elmesse ðenne he heo ȝefeð sulche monne þe him deð … wiken and cherres and ðencheð mid his elmesse forȝelden him ðeo hwile.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1020. He miȝte bet sitte stille Vor al his wile he sholde spille.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2476. Send after help … & icholle hor wule ȝelde.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Miller’s T., 113. A clerk hadde litherly biset his whyle But if he koude a Carpenter bigyle.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 151. The proverbe is, who that is trewe, Him schal his while nevere rewe.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 4392. If Ielousie doth thee payne, Quyte hym his while thus agayne.
c. 1430. How Gd. Wijf tauȝte hir Douȝtir, 111, in Babees Bk. And he þat weel dooþ, Þou qwite him weel his whyle.
b. Now only in phr. worth the while (now rare or arch.), worth one’s while, worth while: often merely = worth doing, profitable, advantageous (the notion of time being weakened or lost). To make it worth (a person’s) while, to give (him) sufficient recompense.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 355. The queene … beet Iudas ful ofte, but al for nouȝt, ffor it was not worþ þe while.
1639. Ld. Digby, Lett. Conc. Relig. (1651), 123. I would not think my pains lost, or study of the Fathers not worth the while.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacræ, III. i. § 18. It had not been worth while for the soul to have been in the body.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 166. Nor is it worth ones while to teach him out of other Authors.
1755. Mrs. F. Brooke, Old Maid, No. 4. 24. In one word, madam, make it worth my while.
1842. Lever, Jack Hinton, xxvii. It is worth while being a soldier in Ireland.
1861. Mrs. H. Wood, East Lynne, III. xix. ‘Keep dark upon it, Bethel,’ he said; ‘I will make it worth your while.’
1877. Huxley, Physiogr., 93. It may be worth while to explain the kind of information which they give.
† 4. (without article.) Sufficient or available time, leisure for doing something: = TIME sb. 8.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 32. Ȝif ȝe habbeð hwule, siggeð þesne psalm, ‘Levavi oculos meos.’
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 87. Whanne he myȝte have while he wroot fables.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 125. On Settyrday þay myȝt not haue whyll.
1600. Holland, Livy, VI. x. If they might have had while and time as well to follow it.
a. 1639. W. Whateley, Prototypes, I. xix. (1640), 233. He can have while to ruminate upon the evil things which Satan and the fleshe doe stirre up.
† 5. a. Term or period of office; transf. office, function, ‘place.’ Obs. rare.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xii. (Mathias), 351. Schaw quhilk of þire twa sal ve ches To supple þe quhyle of Iudas.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., III. xvi. 386. Thouȝ this man which now lyueth performe not the deede for his while.
¶ b. Used in the Wycliffite Bible to render L. vicissitudo in senses of turn: (a) a service rendered (= TURN sb. 23); (b) by whiles, by turns (TURN sb. 28). Obs. rare.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Sam. xxiv. 20. The Lord ȝeelde to thee this while [Vulg. vicissitudinem hanc], for that, that to day thou hast wrouȝt in me. Ibid. (1388), 1 Kings v. 14. So that in twei monethis bi whilis thet weren in her howsis.
II. 6. Time at which something happens or is done; occasion; † proper or suitable time; † season: = TIME sb. 13–15. Obs. exc. arch. or dial. (or as in e below).
Mostly with qualifying word, either with prep. preceding, or with ellipsis of prep. forming advb. phr. (cf. 1 b–d, 2), e.g., that while = at that time, on that occasion, then; another while = ‘another time,’ on another occasion; every while (also as one word, after everywhere), † at every time, always (obs.); every time, on every occasion (dial.). See also below, and OTHERWHILE, SOMEWHILE.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxvi. 55. In illa hora..., in ðæm tid vel in ðære huile.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 51. Þat israelisshe folc was walkende toward ierusalem,… and þo wile was hersum godes hese.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 13130 (Fairf.). Seynt Iohn þis quile in prisoun lay.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2140. Þus wyle was he on halle sittyng with is puple atte mete, Þan com þer an heþene kyng rydynge atte ȝete.
c. 1400. MS. Serm. (Tollem. MS.). We been not sufficiaunt to knowe þe tymes or þe whilis þat þe fadir of þe Trynyte haþ put in his owne power.
1418–20. J. Page, Siege Rouen, in Hist. Coll. Cit. Lond. (Camden), 33. The Fraynysche men in the same whyle, Forthe they went with Umfrevyle.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., VIII. 3. Whete heruest now in tempur lond is while Forto conclude.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VII. v. 218. Hope ye so that I maye ony whyle stand a proued knyght.
1508. Dunbar, Thistle & Rose, vi. Thow did promyt, in Mayis lusty quhyle, For to discryve the Ross.
1552–3. in Feuillerat, Revels Edw. VI. (1914), 129. At dyuers other tymes betwene those whiles.
1579–80. North, Plutarch (1595), 842. The [dragon’s] taile on a time fell out with the head, and complained, saying, it would another while go before, & would not alwaies come behind.
1648. Crashaw, Steps, Hymn Epiph., 30. But every where, and every while, Is one consistent solid smile.
1671. H. M., trans. Erasm. Colloq., 149. Eu. Were those women who encouraged thee with thee that while?
a. 1850. Rossetti, Dante & Circle, I. (1874), 100. What while a lady greets me with her eyes.
1884. Cheshire Gloss., Every while stitch, every now and then; at times.
1886. Stevenson, Kidnapped, xxii. There are whiles … when ye are altogether too canny and Whiggish to be company for a gentleman like me.
† b. One while (adv. phr.): at one time, on one occasion, in one case (usually opp. to another while, sometimes to then, again, anon). Also rarely = on some future occasion, ‘some time.’ Obs.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XVI. xvii. 688. Soo wente they douneward in the see one whyle bakward another whyle forward.
1575. Gammer Gurton, II. iii. 21. One whyle his tonge it ran and paltered of a cat; Another whyle he stammered styll vppon a rat.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. III. Furies, 450. One-while the Boulime, then the Anorexie, Then the Dog-hunger.
1664. South, Serm., John xv. 15 (1697), II. 86. Those, who are one while courteous … and obliging,… but within a small time after, are so supercilious, sharp, [etc.].
1744. Eliza Haywood, Female Spect., v. (1748), I. 262. One while we are transmogrified into milk-maids—then into a kind of Amazonians.
1815. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., iii. (1818), I. 73. One while a silky fluid should be secreted, at another none.
† c. With qualifying sb. (cf. TIME sb. 13 b), as dinner while, mass while, service while, supper while, etc.: see also the sbs. (Sometimes including the idea of duration, as in 1 e.) Obs. (or rare arch.).
13[?]. [see MASS sb.1 7].
1435. Misyn, Fire of Love, II. x. With desire in meet qwhiel to ȝerne.
1557. Machyn, Diary (Camden), 148. My lord of London begane the durge, with ys myter [on] alle the durge wylle.
1597. Beard, Theatre God’s Judgem. (1612), 119. The gouernour of Mascon, a Magitian, whom the diuell snatched vp in dinnerwhile.
a. 1667. C. Hoole, Accidence (1671), 110. Inter cœnandum, at supper while.
1868. Browning, Ring. & Bk., I. 311. Be it but a straw ’twixt work and whistling-while.
d. In exclamations of grief: cf. similar use of day, time. Chiefly poet. Obs. or arch.
c. 1402. Lydg., Compl. Bl. Knt., 244. This is the cold that wolde the fyr abate Of trewe mening; alas! the harde whyle!
c. 1440. York Myst., vi. 51. That we shulde haue alle welthis in walde, wa worthe þe whyle!
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VI. viii. 77. Alace the quhile!
a. 1586. Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xxi. 25. O! waryit be the vhyle That euer we wer acquent!
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. iv. 146. God helpe the while, a bad world I say.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., II. xv. Woe the while That brought such wanderer to our isle! Ibid. (1825), Talism., x. He conceives himself, God help the while, ungratefully treated.
e. Phr. with pl.: At whiles, at times, sometimes, at intervals. Between (betwixt obs. or arch.) whiles: see BETWEEN-WHILES.
[c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. xx. 273. Good and profitable to be had at certein whilis.]
1540. Palsgr., Acolastus, V. i. X iv b. Me semeth now and than, or at whiles that [etc.].
1647. Trapp, Comm. Rom. ii. 15. Meanwhile, or, Betwixt whiles.
1717. Berkeley, in Mem. (1784), 61. A sort of … dashing (as it were) of waves, and between whiles, a noise like that of thunder.
1802. Mrs. Radcliffe, Gaston de Blond., Wks. 1826, 11. 62. To drive away the gloom, that yet, at whiles, hung upon his brow.
1865. Swinburne, Chastelard, II. i. 66. To think what grievous fear I have ’twixt whiles Of mine own self and of base men.
