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Definition: While |
WhileNoun1. A period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition; "he was here for a little while"; "I need to rest for a piece"; "a spell of good weather". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "while" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references) |
Note: While \While\, preposition Until; till. [Obsolete or Prov. Eng. & Scottish]. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Computing | While |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
In computer programs and scripts while is generally an instruction which initiates a loop which continues as long as the statement following the command returns the value true.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "While."
Synonyms: WhileSynonyms: piece (n), spell (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Time | Intermediate time, while, interim, interval, pendency; intervention, intermission, intermittence, interregnum, interlude; respite. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: While |
| English words defined with "while": Worth the while. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "while": commission of a criminal act while in a state of voluntarily-induced mental incapacity ♦ Every once in a while ♦ Strike while the Iron is Hot ♦ WHILE instruction. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "while": Whilere. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | And all the while, I thought, 'Lestat, you deserve your vengeance (Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles; writing credit: Anne Rice) See that the back door and the front door are locked while I slip into my hunchback disguise (The Pink Panther Strikes Again; writing credit: Blake Edwards and Frank Waldman.) You know, while you were playing that just now, I had the craziest fantasy that I could rise up and float right down the end of this coronet, right through here, through these vales, right along this tube, and right up against your lips and give you a kiss (The Jerk; writing credit: Carl Reiner, written by Steve Martin and Carl Gottlieb.) Perhaps the idea of becoming someone else for a little while. Being inside another skin--Thinking differently, moving differently, feeling differently (Being John Malkovich; writing credit: Charlie Kaufman) Peter once asked me, when it was that I fell in love with Jack, and I told him, it was while you were sleeping (While You Were Sleeping; writing credit: Daniel G. Sullivan; Fredric LeBow) | |
Lyrics | To the memories we made, while you loved me (While You Loved Me; performing artist: Rascal Flatts) Let me have a look inside these eyes while I'm learning (Trouble Me; performing artist: 10,000 Maniacs) EVERYONCE IN A WHILE I'LL BREAK OUT THE BACKYARD TO ROAM (Come Back In One Piece; performing artist: Aaliyah) Watch you smile while you are sleeping (I Don't Want To Miss A Thing; performing artist: AEROSMITH) A thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy while you are just flying past (32 Flavors; performing artist: Alana Davis) | |
Clever | On a Sera's hairdryer: "Do not use while sleeping. (references; author: unknown) A woman never shot a man while he was doing dishes. (references; author: unknown) While in ER, she was examined, X-rated, and sent home. (references; author: unknown) While men talk of killing time, slowly time kills men. (references; author: unknown) Life is what you have while you are waiting to have one. (references; author: unknown) | |
Tongue Twisters | While we were walking, we were watching window washers wash Washington's windows with warm washing water. (references; author: unknown) | |
Movie/TV Titles | While the Cat's Away (1972) Hold Me While I'm Naked (1966) Sat'day While Sunday (1966) Weasel While You Work (1958) While the City Sleeps (1956) | |
Song Titles | While You Loved Me (performing artist: Rascal Flatts) While You See A Chance (performing artist: Steve Winwood) Once In A While (performing artist: The Chimes) In A Little While (performing artist: Uncle Kracker) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
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High Tech |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Seen are two young girls with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) with a medical technician who is taking a blood sample from one of the girls while the other one looks on. The girls have undergone chemotherapy. Credit: Bill Branson (photographer). |  | Pictured is a family group of a father, mother and eight children around a piano. One of the younger women is playing the piano and the others are following the music and singing. They raise their hands while singing. It appears to be a family room home setting. These people are a Mormon family. They are presently being studied for their low cancer death rate. Credit: Linda Bartlett (photographer). |
 | The compound microscope on the right is used to identify mounted specimens, while the stereoscopic microscope, along with chemicals on the left is used to observe living larvae captured from the field. Credit: CDC. |  | Chagas Disease is caused by the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted while the insect vector from the family Reduviidae, subfamily Triatominae, is blood-feeding on a human host. Credit: CDC. |
 | "Orrery" (movie) by Marijke van Gans. Watch Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars orbit the Sun, while the Moon orbits Earth. From inside DPGraph, click on Edit for more information. |  | "Traveling Wave 1" (movie) by Сергей Бирюков (Sergei Biryukov). In this movie, and in "Traveling Wave 2", you can use DPGraph's scrollbar to vary the parameters A, B, C, and D, to alter the movie while it is running. |
 | While hunting for volcanic plumes on Io, the Hubble telescope captured these images of the ... Credit: NASA. |  | Overhead view of Hurricane Andrew on 25 August 1992 at 20:20 UT.The cloud data are from GOES-7 (Geostationary OperationalEnvironmental Satellite), while the vegetation is derived from AVHRR(Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometers). Credit: NASA. |
 | Full view of the Earth, taken byGOES-8(Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) on 2 September 1994at 18:00 UT. The red and green channels represent visible data, while theblue channel represents inverted 11 micron infrared data.The north and south poles were were not actually observed by GOES-8. Toproduce this image, poles were taken from a GOES-7 image. Credit: NASA. |  | Once a vast carpet of healthy vegetation, the Amazon rain forest is changing rapidly. This image of Bolivia shows dramatic deforestation in the Amazon Basin. Loggers have cut long paths into the forest, while ranchers have cleared large blocks for their herds. Fanning out from these clear-cut areas are settlements built in radial arrangements of fields and farms. Healthy vegetation appears bright red in this image. Credit: NASA. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
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| "Lantern while drivin'" by Hannes Holst Commentary: "Speed of the car: 60km/h." | "Photo taken while driving at n" by Terry Eaton Commentary: "Instruments and lights. Driving on Interstate 75 at night." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Play | Caption | Play | Caption |
 | Shore birds cawing while waves lap onto the beach. | | Shore birds cawing while water ripples nearby. |
| Man grunting while trying to heave a heavy object. | | Water splashing in the sink while it is draining. |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Author | Quotation |
Benjamin Franklin | Plough deep while sluggards sleep. |
Cicero | While there's life, there's hope. |
George William Curtis | While we read history we make history. |
Lord Alfred Tennyson | Man dreams of fame while woman wakes to love. |
Lyndon Baines Johnson | While you're saving your face, you're losing your ass. |
Marcus T. Cicero | To the sick, while there is life there is hope. |
Philip Doddridge | Let us live while we live. |
Publilius Syrus | While we stop to think, we often miss our opportunity. |
William Shakespeare | While you live tell the truth and shame the devil. |
William Wordsworth | Small service is true service, while it lasts. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Author | Date | Quotation |
Magna Carta | 1215 | If one who has borrowed from the Jews any sum, great or small, die before that loan be repaid, the debt shall not bear interest while the heir is under age, of whomsoever he may hold; and if the debt fall into our hands, we will not take anything except the principal sum contained in the bond. (reference) |
John Locke | 1690 | Hereafter, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease while the earth remaineth. (Second Treatise of Government) |
US Declaration of Independence | 1776 | Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. (reference) |
Communist Manifesto | 1848 | In bourgeois society capital is independent and has individuality, while the living person is dependent and has no individuality. (reference) |
Treaty of Versailles | 1919 | A Delegate may by notice in writing addressed to the President appoint one of his advisers to act as his deputy, and the adviser, while so acting, shall be allowed to speak and vote. (reference) |
Winston S. Churchill | 1946 | Now, while still pursuing the method of realizing our overall strategic concept, I come to the crux of what I have traveled here to say. ("Iron Curtain" Speech) |
Miranda v. Arizona | 1966 | In each of these cases, the defendant, while in police custody, was questioned by police officers, detectives, or a prosecuting attorney in a room in which he was cut off from the outside world. (reference) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Title | Author | Quote |
Emma | Austen, Jane | It rained dreadfully hard for half an hour while we were at breakfast |
Sylvie and Bruno | Carroll, Lewis | But it scarcely seemed worth while to step forward and pick it up, as the man would be back again in a moment |
A Christmas Carol | Dickens, Charles | It was strange, too, that while Scrooge remained unaltered in his outward form, the Ghost grew older, clearly older |
Scarlet Letter | Hawthorne, Nathaniel | Once in a great while, the thoughts, that had seemed so vital and so active, yet had been put to rest so quietly, revived again |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | Fauchelevent had seen this mere artisan grow rich, while he himself, a professional man, had been going to ruin |
Imitation of Horace | John Dryden | I can enjoy her while she 's kind; But when she dances in the wind, And shakes the wings and will not stay, I puff the prostitute away |
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | Joyce, James | Then Brother Michael went away and after a while the fellow out of third of grammar turned in towards the wall and fell asleep |
King Richard III | Shakespeare, William | While we reason here A royal battle might be won and lost |
Grapes of Wrath | Steinbeck, John | He flushed the toilet and watched thoughtfully while the water whirled in the bowl |
Gulliver's Travels | Swift, Jonathan | Another day Glumdalclitch left me on a smooth grass plot to divert myself while she walked at some distance with her governess |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Lean forward while exercising. (references) | |
A dog or cat may swallow a flea while grooming. (references) | ||
You can do it at night, mainly while you sleep. (references) | ||
Business | Do not be overly aggressive while negotiating. (references) | |
Televisa has four national networks while Azteca has two. (references) | ||
ABB handled the power plants while Dart drilled the gas wells. (references) | ||
Children | Iceland | Access to new buildings tends to be good, while efforts to make old buildings more accessible have lagged. (references) |
Ghana | The Ghana Education Service ordered the headmistress on ordered leave while it conducted an investigation. (references) | |
Uganda | While defilement carries a maximum sentence of death, that punishment never has been meted out to a convicted rapist. (references) | |
Civil Liberties | China | They reported being beaten while in custody. (references) |
Congo | The Archbishop died of a heart attack the following month while in Rome. (references) | |
Bangladesh | He alleged that he was tortured while in police custody after the arrest. (references) | |
Discrimination | Brazil | In February a court sentenced two alleged gang members to 21 years in prison, while a third suspect received a lighter sentence. (references) |
Romania | The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies passed the ordinance during the year, but the Chamber amended it to exclude sexual orientation as a basis for discrimination, while the Senate passed it unchanged. (references) | |
Cyprus | While each community generally respects such laws, significant problems remained concerning the treatment of the Greek Cypriots and Maronites living in the north and, to a lesser extent, with the treatment of Turkish Cypriots living in the government-controlled area. (references) | |
Economic History | Angola | Summers are hot and dry, while winters are mild. (references) |
Bahamas | Import tariffs, while high, are non-discriminatory. (references) | |
Botswana | The overall growth of the economy, while declining, continues. (references) | |
Human Rights | Guinea-Bissau | One soldier reportedly died while in detention. (references) |
Iraq | The Ayatollah died while under house arrest in Al-Najaf. (references) | |
Colombia | Some perform administrative functions while in detention. (references) | |
Indigenous People | Ecuador | While at least 85 percent of all citizens claim some indigenous heritage, those who maintain their indigenous cultural identity and live in indigenous communities comprise between 15 and 20 percent of the total population. (references) |
Japan | The Ainu continue to face societal discrimination while engaging in an uphill struggle against complete assimilation, although Ainu-language newspapers, radio programs, and academic programs studying Ainu culture have increased since 1997. In March the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) noted that the country "has not taken sufficient steps to address the issue of discriminatory treatment of Koreans and Ainu living in" the country. (references) | |
Minorities | Mexico | Finally, in a Puebla community, an Adventist pastor was threatened while proselytizing. (references) |
Political Economy | GUATEMALA | While, enforcement of this requirement has been lax, compliance is increasing. (references) |
Ghana | The NDC won 92 seats, while independent and small party candidates won eight seats. (references) | |
PAKISTAN | While Pakistan has enacted IPR laws covering most domains, enforcement remains weak. (references) | |
Political Rights | Mexico | While elections are open and generally fair, some abuses continued to occur. (references) |
Cameroon | While alone inside a closed booth, citizens choose a ballot and seal it into an envelope. (references) | |
Slovenia | Of the 90 Members of Parliament, 13 are female, while 3 of 18 cabinet ministers are female. (references) | |
Trade | Italy | Merchandise deteriorated while in storage can be destroyed without payment of duty. (references) |
Ireland | This approval allows the deferral of duty on goods while they are being worked on or stored. (references) | |
Pakistan | There are 44 banks operating in the country of which 25, are domestic, while 19 are foreign banks. (references) | |
Travel | Uruguay | Business breakfasts, while not unheard of, are not common. (references) |
Ghana | Malaria prophylaxis is strongly recommended while in Ghana. (references) | |
Thailand | However, you may apply for an extension of stay while in Thailand. (references) | |
Women | Madagascar | However, a widow receives a pension, while a widower does not. (references) |
Pakistan | While abusers may be charged with assault, cases rarely are filed. (references) | |
Mexico | Montero escaped from detention 10 years ago while on trial for 180 cases of rape. (references) | |
Worker Rights | Haiti | Workers were idled while the port remained closed for approximately 1 month. (references) |
Honduras | While traffickers have been arrested, the Government has not prosecuted any cases. (references) | |
France | Trafficking victims may be granted temporary residency while they apply for asylum. (references) | |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | STORY, n. A narrative, commonly untrue. The truth of the stories here following has, however, not been successfully impeached. One evening Mr. Rudolph Block, of New York, found himself seated at dinner alongside Mr. Percival Pollard, the distinguished critic. "Mr. Pollard," said he, "my book, The Biography of a Dead Cow, is published anonymously, but you can hardly be ignorant of its authorship. Yet in reviewing it you speak of it as the work of the Idiot of the Century. Do you think that fair criticism?" "I am very sorry, sir," replied the critic, amiably, "but it did not occur to me that you really might not wish the public to know who wrote it." Mr. W.C. Morrow, who used to live in San Jose, California, was addicted to writing ghost stories which made the reader feel as if a stream of lizards, fresh from the ice, were streaking it up his back and hiding in his hair. San Jose was at that time believed to be haunted by the visible spirit of a noted bandit named Vasquez, who had been hanged there. The town was not very well lighted, and it is putting it mildly to say that San Jose was reluctant to be out o' nights. One particularly dark night two gentlemen were abroad in the loneliest spot within the city limits, talking loudly to keep up their courage, when they came upon Mr. J.J. Owen, a well-known journalist. "Why, Owen," said one, "what brings you here on such a night as this? You told me that this is one of Vasquez' favorite haunts! And you are a believer. Aren't you afraid to be out?" "My dear fellow," the journalist replied with a drear autumnal cadence in his speech, like the moan of a leaf-laden wind, "I am afraid to be in. I have one of Will Morrow's stories in my pocket and I don't dare to go where there is light enough to read it." Rear-Admiral Schley and Representative Charles F. Joy were standing near the Peace Monument, in Washington, discussing the question, Is success a failure? Mr. Joy suddenly broke off in the middle of an eloquent sentence, exclaiming: "Hello! I've heard that band before. Santlemann's, I think." "I don't hear any band," said Schley. "Come to think, I don't either," said Joy; "but I see General Miles coming down the avenue, and that pageant always affects me in the same way as a brass band. One has to scrutinize one's impressions pretty closely, or one will mistake their origin." While the Admiral was digesting this hasty meal of philosophy General Miles passed in review, a spectacle of impressive dignity. When the tail of the seeming procession had passed and the two observers had recovered from the transient blindness caused by its effulgence -- "He seems to be enjoying himself," said the Admiral. "There is nothing," assented Joy, thoughtfully, "that he enjoys one-half so well." The illustrious statesman, Champ Clark, once lived about a mile from the village of Jebigue, in Missouri. One day he rode into town on a favorite mule, and, hitching the beast on the sunny side of a street, in front of a saloon, he went inside in his character of teetotaler, to apprise the barkeeper that wine is a mocker. It was a dreadfully hot day. Pretty soon a neighbor came in and seeing Clark, said: "Champ, it is not right to leave that mule out there in the sun. He'll roast, sure! -- he was smoking as I passed him." "O, he's all right," said Clark, lightly; "he's an inveterate smoker." The neighbor took a lemonade, but shook his head and repeated that it was not right. He was a conspirator. There had been a fire the night before: a stable just around the corner had burned and a number of horses had put on their immortality, among them a young colt, which was roasted to a rich nut-brown. Some of the boys had turned Mr. Clark's mule loose and substituted the mortal part of the colt. Presently another man entered the saloon. "For mercy's sake!" he said, taking it with sugar, "do remove that mule, barkeeper: it smells." "Yes," interposed Clark, "that animal has the best nose in Missouri. But if he doesn't mind, you shouldn't." In the course of human events Mr. Clark went out, and there, apparently, lay the incinerated and shrunken remains of his charger. The boys idd not have any fun out of Mr. Clarke, who looked at the body and, with the non-committal expression to which he owes so much of his political preferment, went away. But walking home late that night he saw his mule standing silent and solemn by the wayside in the misty moonlight. Mentioning the name of Helen Blazes with uncommon emphasis, Mr. Clark took the back track as hard as ever he could hook it, and passed the night in town. General H.H. Wotherspoon, president of the Army War College, has a pet rib-nosed baboon, an animal of uncommon intelligence but imperfectly beautiful. Returning to his apartment one evening, the General was surprised and pained to find Adam (for so the creature is named, the general being a Darwinian) sitting up for him and wearing his master's best uniform coat, epaulettes and all. "You confounded remote ancestor!" thundered the great strategist, "what do you mean by being out of bed after naps? -- and with my coat on!" Adam rose and with a reproachful look got down on all fours in the manner of his kind and, scuffling across the room to a table, returned with a visiting-card: General Barry had called and, judging by an empty champagne bottle and several cigar-stumps, had been hospitably entertained while waiting. The general apologized to his faithful progenitor and retired. The next day he met General Barry, who said: "Spoon, old man, when leaving you last evening I forgot to ask you about those excellent cigars. Where did you get them?" General Wotherspoon did not deign to reply, but walked away. "Pardon me, please," said Barry, moving after him; "I was joking of course. Why, I knew it was not you before I had been in the room fifteen minutes." |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Phrase(s) |
Connie Francis | I could mention a few people like Tony Orlando is a sweetheart, Frankie Avalon, we speak once in a while. I never really had any friends in show business, with the exception of Dick. |
Dan Rather | So while the old leaders with power and the young men with guns and bombs created this war, it is the people on both sides who must find a way to live with it. |
David Berkowitz | Not a lot. Once in a while some people come up. I have a number of friends from the area who come by and visit. |
Dennis Miller | Sure, you're family at the Olive Garden, until you ask them for a loan or try to get them to watch your kids while you go away for a long weekend. |
Gene Wilder | I'm funny on camera sometimes. In life, once in a while. Once in a while. But she was funny. She spent more time worrying about being liked than anything else. |
John McCain | Well, I think it obviously caused all issues to recede in importance, at least for a period of time while we got our nation geared up for this struggle that we are involved in. |
Marlo Thomas | Oh, three years, I never wanted to be married, so it took a while, for me to believe that I, you know, would have liked being married. |
Rush Limbaugh | Yet while the Daschles and Robert Byrds of the world look for political advantage in the blood of our soldiers, the real world goes on. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
George Washington | 1789-1797 | Time is wearing away some advantages for forwarding the object, while none better deserves the persevering attention of the public councils. |
Thomas Jefferson | 1801-1809 | Many of their advocates, while they wish to vindicate the liberty of human nature are anxious also to preserve its dignity and beauty. |
Abraham Lincoln | 1861-1865 | Indeed, the most ample evidence to the contrary has all the while existed and been open to their inspection. |
John F. Kennedy | 1961-1963 | On the Presidential Coat of Arms, the American eagle holds in his right talon the olive branch, while in his left he holds a bundle of arrows. |
Lyndon B. Johnson | 1963-1969 | So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are strong enough to keep the faith. |
Richard Nixon | 1969-1974 | After all, we became involved in the war while my predecessor was in office. |
Ronald Reagan | 1981-1989 | For while I take inspiration from the past, like most Americans, I live for the future. |
George Bush | 1989-1993 | My plan provides insurance security for all Americans while preserving and increasing the idea of choice. |
Bill Clinton | 1993-2001 | Let's help workers who lose their jobs keep health insurance coverage for a year while they look for work. |
George W. Bush | 2001-2005 | North Korea is a regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while starving its citizens. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "While" is generally used as a conjunction (subordinating) -- approximately 89.28% of the time. "While" is used about 56,558 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Conjunction (subordinating) | 89.28% | 50,494 | 168 |
| Noun (singular) | 10.66% | 6,031 | 1,625 |
| Noun (proper) | 0.03% | 16 | 87,710 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 0.02% | 12 | 101,599 |
| Total | 100.00% | 56,558 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes the usage of "while" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified. |
| Name | Usage/Gender | Usage per 100 million Persons | Rank in USA |
| While | Last name | 130 | 59,163 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits. | |||
Expressions using "while": a good while ♦ a great while ♦ a little while ♦ a little while ago ♦ a long while ♦ a long while ago ♦ a short while ♦ a while ♦ a while ago ♦ accident while travelling ♦ ad while ♦ after a while ♦ all the while ♦ alone for a while ♦ be silent for a while ♦ be worth while ♦ boil for a while ♦ Breathing while ♦ driving while drunken ♦ driving while intoxicated ♦ every once in a while ♦ feel cold for a while ♦ for a long while ♦ for a short while ♦ for a while ♦ hang around for a while ♦ hold for a while ♦ in a little while ♦ in a short while ♦ in a while ♦ it is worth your while to read it ♦ it's not worth my while ♦ listen while transmitting ♦ little while ♦ look for a while ♦ make hay while the sun shines ♦ once in a while ♦ Pain while chewing ♦ Pain while swallowing ♦ paternoster while ♦ quite a while ♦ rock a while ♦ romp around for a while ♦ short while ♦ stay with smb. for a while ♦ stop for a while ♦ strike while the iron is hot ♦ take a while ♦ the while ♦ wait a while ♦ warm oneself for a while ♦ watch for a while ♦ while as ♦ while away ♦ while hungry ♦ WHILE instruction ♦ while it is still day ♦ WHILE loop ♦ while one's hand is in ♦ while still ♦ while that ♦ while the going is good ♦ while the time away ♦ while you wait ♦ within a while ♦ worth one's while ♦ worth the while ♦ worth while. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "while": while-free, while-loop, while-loops, while-u-wait, while-wend, while-you-wait. | |
Ending with "while": once-in-a-while, worth-while. | |
Containing "while": driving-unconsciously-while-proving-a-theorem, listen-while-talking, logging-while-drilling, Mot-while-u-wait-garage, track-while-scan. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "while"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Afrikaans | vir (across from, against, during, for, in exchange for, in order to, opposed, opposed to, opposite, per, to, toward, towards, upon, whereas, whilst), tydens (during, for, whereas, whilst), terwyl (during, for, whereas, whilst), gedurende (during, for, whereas, whilst), tyd (time). (various references) | |
Albanian | tek (at, being an odd number, making up an odd number, odd, off, to, uneven, unto), ndonëse (although, as, tho', though, whereas), ndërsa (as, meantime, meanwhile, whereas, whiles, whilst), megjithëse (albeit, although, even though, in despite of, tho', though), kur (as, when), kohë (date, day, distance, hour, period, sand, season, term, time, weather, when), gjersa (during, for, till, until, whereas, whilst), gjatë (alone, along, by, down, during, for, in the course of, in the midst of, in the progress of, lengthwise, long, over, pending, through, throughout, whereas, whilst), duke (during, for, whereas, whilst), derisa (as far as, during, for, till, until, whereas, whilst). (various references) | |
Arabic | في حين (whereas, whilst), فترة (epoch, era, interval, period, phase, qualifying period, season, spell, stage, term, time), ما دام (as long as), مدة قصيرة, مدة (duration, interval, period, term, time), قطع الوقت, و (and, with), حتى ذلك الحين (till then), حتى (even, over, pending, than, till, to, until, unto, whenever), عندما (when), على الرغم من (despite, for, in spite of, not, notwithstanding, that, with high hand), ريثما (pending, till, until), بينما (however, nevertheless, whilst), برهة (breath, minute, moment). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | убивам времето (while the time away), кратко време (whipstitch), време (date, day, length, occasion, tide, time, weather, when), момент (instant, minute, moment, occasion, sec, second, shake, trice, twinkling, whipstitch), макар и че, макар и (albeit, although, as), а (and, eh), прекарвам неусетно времето (wile), през времето когато, докато (against, as long as, so long as, till, until, when, whereas, whiles, whilst). (various references) | |
Catalan | temps (time). (various references) | |
Chinese | 際 (among, between, border, boundary, edge, fish-spear, interval, sharp), 當時 (at that time, then), 正在 (in the process of), 当 (When), 卻 (but, however, nevertheless, to decline, to go back, to retreat, yet), 中 (among, center, China, Chinese, during, hit, in, middle, within). (various references) | |
Croatian | dok. (various references) | |
Czech | zatímco (whereas, whilst), pøi, když (as, if, that, when), kdežto (whereas, whilst), doba (age, date, epoch, period, space, spell, term, tide, time, times), chvilka (bit, short while, tick), chvíle (minute, moment), aèkoli (albeit, although, as), èas (tense, term, tide, time). (various references) | |
Danish | imitlertid (during, for, whereas, whilst). (various references) | |
Dutch | terwijl (during, for, whilst), staande (during, for, whereas, whilst), gedurende (during, for, whereas, whilst). (various references) | |
Esperanto | tempo (time), dum (during, for, whereas, whilst). (various references) | |
Faeroese | um (about, beyond, by, concerning, during, for, if, on, past, provided that, straight past, upon, whereas, whilst), tíð (time), meðan (during, for, whereas, whilst), í (a, during, for, in, inside, into, on, per, whereas, whilst, within). (various references) | |
Farsi | مادامیکه , هنگامیکه (As, Whenever), گذراندن (Fare, Outwear, Survive), حال انکه , تاموقعی که , سپری کردن (Survive), درحین , درصورتیکه (Provided). (various references) | |
Finnish | sill'aikaa kun, sillä aikaa kun, samalla kuin (at the same time as), niin kauan kuin (as long as), kun taas (whereas), kun sitä vastoin (whereas), jotavastoin (whereas), hetki (instant, moment), aikana (during, for, whereas, whilst), aika (age, day, hour, hours, moment, period, time). (various references) | |
French | tant que, tandis que (whereas, whilst), pendant que (whereas, whilst), pendant (whereas, whilst), durant (whereas, whilst). (various references) | |
French Canadian | lorsque. (various references) | |
Frisian | wylst (during, for, whereas, whilst), tiid (time). (various references) | |
Galician | mentres. (various references) | |
German | Weile (a while, spell), während (as, during, for, over, throughout, when, whereas, whilst). (various references) | |
Greek | ενώ (unite, whereas, whiles, whilst). (various references) | |
Haitian Creole | pandan. ( |
