adv. Forms: see ERE and WHILE. A while before, some time ago, formerly.

1

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 20304. Me com tiþand arquil fra heuen.

2

c. 1305.  St. Andrew, 91, in E. E. P. (1862), 100. Ic iseo mie swete louerd: and erwhile ic iseȝ Þat abydeþ me til ic come.

3

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom., iv. 10 (Harl. MS.). Sir, I seide to you erwhile, þat [etc.].

4

1526.  Tindale, John ix. 27. I tolde you yerwhile, and ye did nott heare.

5

1595.  Locrine, II. v. 154. I, that erewhile did scare mine enemies … Must now depart.

6

a. 1678.  Marvell, Wks., III. 522. The tree erewhile foreshortned to our view.

7

1724.  Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), II. 129. And Forth that foam’d, and roar’d ere while, Glides calmly down as smooth as oil.

8

1810.  Scott, Lady of L., II. iii. Remember then thy hap erewhile.

9

1870.  Morris, Earthly Par., I. II. 461. The faces weeping lay That erewhile laughed the loudest.

10

  So † Erewhiles adv. [see WHILES].

11

1584.  R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., 550. The Pneumatomachi … did erwhiles ioine themselues to those that were sound of iudgement.

12

1598.  Mucedorus, in Hazl., Dodsley, VII. 211. Erewhiles assaulted with an ugly bear: Fair Amadine in company all alone.

13

1635.  J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Banish’d Virgin, 26. The very same you saw me with erewhiles.

14

1755.  in Johnson.

15