adv., conj. (prep.) Forms: 4 quilest, -ist, quylest, -ist, 5 qwhilste, whylst, 5–6 whylest, 6 whillest, whylyst, wylst, Sc. quhylest, 6–7 whilest, 7 whil’st, 6– whilst. [f. WHILES + -t as in amongst, amidst.]
1. a. In advb. phr. the whilst (obs. or rare arch.), also (rare) † to whilst, in the whilst, or as simple adv. whilst (obs. exc. dial.): During that time, meanwhile. Also † a whilst: for a time.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 6417 (Fairf.). Þe quilest moises helde vp his hende Hit was wele in þe batel kende, for ay to quilest witerly Had goddis folk þe ouer maistri.
1595. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. IV. 116. I served a whilest with the late Erle of Leycester.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., IV. ii. 4. Doe it quickly. Ile call sir Toby the whilst.
1613. Beaum. & Fl., Cupid’s Rev., II. v. Go run, And tell the Duke; And whilst I’ll close her eyes.
1646. H. Lawrence, Commun. Angels, 113. If God would doe all, and men might sleepe the whilest.
1671. H. M., trans. Erasm. Colloq., 228. Alway, except that in the whilest at the first, I lived four years at Padua.
c. 1672. Roxb. Ball. (1888), VI. 500. Though present you be, all the whilst that they dine.
1683. in 10th Vol. Walpole Soc. (1922), 67. Pray … forget not the proposal of Sr: Yours Really whilst F. Place.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, x. But a small sum; something in hand the whilst.
1895. Jas. Prior, Renie, xxi. Why don’t you send for the p’liceman whilst?
b. The whilst, conj. phr. (also with that): During the time that, while; † when. Obs. or rare arch.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 2966 (Fairf.). Þe folk ware ful of pride Þe quylest he dwelled ham bi-side. Ibid., 15461. Þe quilist þat ȝe me se him kis Lay hande on him.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 79. Thee whilst fayre Phœbus thee yeers course roundlye reuolued.
1595. Shaks., John, IV. ii. 194. I saw a Smith stand with his hammer (thus) The whilst his Iron did on the Anuile coole.
1625. Fletcher & Shirley, Nt. Walker, I. i. Make your mirth, the whilst I bear my misery.
1798. Anti-Jacobin, No. 25 (1799), II. 237. Each his head … Shakes, the whilst his tale is told.
2. conj. († also with that) = WHILE conj. 1, b, d, WHILES 4.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 2085 (Fairf.). He liued lelly quylist he moȝt. Ibid., 5491. Quylest atte Ioseph regned þare His breþer in egipte regnande ware.
1435. Misyn, Fire of Love, II. ix. 91. Slike frenschyp is fenyd, for it may not last bot qwhilste lust & profett bydis.
c. 1450. in Aungier, Syon (1840), 308. A clothe, up on the which the professours must lygh prostrat whylst the letany is in syngyng aftyr masse.
1569. Reg. Privy Council Scot., Ser. I. II. 4. The parliament held quhylest scho wes in Lochlevin.
1579. Lyly, Euphues, I. P ij b. Whilest that the childe is young, let him be instructed in vertue and lyterature.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., I. i. 186. Ile nere be drunk whilst I liue againe, but in honest, ciuill, godly company.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., Ps. xxxii. 6 (1640), 597. Woe unto us, if we seeke him not whilest he affords us these helpes.
1635. Jackson, Creed, VIII. viii. 73. During the time of his humiliation here on earth, or whilest hee became hostage for our Redemption.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., 222. The Trees … and Fields are now naked, unless cloathed in white, whilest the Countrey-man sits at home, and enjoyes the Fruit of his past labours.
1703. De Foe, More Reform., 12. With lame pretences they revive Those Lines when Dead, he blush’d at whilst alive.
1782. Eliz. Blower, Geo. Bateman, III. 7. All in less time than whilst one could cry—‘A good riddance.’
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xxi. Fetch us up a bottle of the Burgundy,… And I say, Craigie, you may fetch up half-a-dozen whilst you are about it.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxv. Be quiet whilst the tempest lasts.
1918. Act 8 & 9 Geo. V., c. 17 Sched. 1. ii. Such revocation shall not be made whilst the Bill … is pending in either House.
† b. prep. During. Obs. rare–1.
1591. Sparry, trans. Cattan’s Geomancie, 186. Whilest the time that the Emperour Charles the fift was at Nece … I was requested … to make him a fygure.
3. transf. = WHILE conj. 2 a, b, c.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Matt. vi. 26. Whilest they catche after a vayne reward here, they be disapointed of that, whiche onelye aught to be desyred.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., I. 15. Whilest they [sc. the Stoics] granted to mans power such an excellent and divine disposition, they lift him up in a vain presumption.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. i. 88. His company must do his minions grace, Whil’st I at home starue for a merrie looke. Ibid. (c. 1600), Sonn., xxxvii. 10. I am not lame, poore, nor dispis’d, Whilst that this shadow doth such substance giue.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., I. 1. There is a place … where … thousands of the Heads of Oxen were digged up, whereat the Ignorant wondred, whilest the Learned well understood them to be the proper Sacrifices to Diana.
1699. Garth, Dispens., II. 20. Portia … Laments her barren Curse, and begs a Son. Whilst Iris, his cosmetick Wash, must try, To make her Bloom revive, and Lovers dye.
1741. Middleton, Cicero, I. iii. 152. The Knights … considered him as the pride and ornament of their order, whilst he, to ingratiate himself the more with them, affected always … to boast of that extraction.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxix. Whilst her appearance was an utter failure … Mrs. Rawdon Crawley’s début was, on the contrary, very brilliant.
1890. L. C. d’Oyle, Notches, 4. One day the right leg would be disabled, whilst the next day it would be the left leg that suffered.
1907. Athenæum, 3 Aug., 129/2. It [Henry Pelham’s map of Boston] is not to be found in the Boston, Lenox, New York Historical, or the Congress Libraries, whilst the copy at Harvard is imperfect.
4. conj. Till, until: = WHILE conj. 3, WHILES 5. Obs. exc. dial.
c. 1520. Skelton, Magnyf., 324. I pray you, Larges, here to remayne, Whylest I knowe what this letter dothe contayne. Ibid., 685. Tary whylyst that I come agayne.
1594. Greene & Lodge, Looking Gl. Lond., 451. My wife might blow whilst she burst.
1653. Cloria & Narcissus, I. 308. There to remaine,… whilst she heard some newes of Narcissus.
