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One thing I am really dying to do, while I'm still young and in shape, is an action movie. I would love to do a Lara Croft type of thing that's really physical and tough. I want to have a gun and do martial arts. I would love to get paid to get into the best shape of my life.
Megalyn Echikunwoke

Meaning of "while" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD WHILE

Old English hwīl; related to Old High German hwīla (German Weile), Gothic hveila, Latin quiēs peace, tranquīlustranquil.
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Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF WHILE

while  [waɪl] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF WHILE

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
While can act as a noun, a preposition and a conjunction.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The preposition is an invariable grammatical category, that has no meaning itself and which serves to link or relate terms.

The conjunction is an invariable grammatical category used to join together words and sentences.

WHAT DOES WHILE MEAN IN ENGLISH?

While

"While" is a word in the English language that functions both as a noun and as a subordinating conjunction. Its meaning varies largely based on its intended function, position in the phrase and even the writer or speaker's regional dialect. As a conjunction, it is synonymous with the word "whilst", a form often considered archaic in American and Canadian English, as well as in some style guides on both sides of the Atlantic.

Definition of while in the English dictionary

The first definition of while in the dictionary is at the same time that. Other definition of while is all the time that. While is also in spite of the fact that.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH WHILE


bile
baɪl
facile
ˈfæsaɪl
file
faɪl
freestyle
ˈfriːˌstaɪl
hairstyle
ˈhɛəˌstaɪl
hostile
ˈhɒstaɪl
I´ll
aɪl
isle
aɪl
juvenile
ˈdʒuːvɪˌnaɪl
kyle
kaɪl
lifestyle
ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl
meanwhile
ˈmiːnˌwaɪl
mile
maɪl
mobile
ˈməʊbaɪl
profile
ˈprəʊfaɪl
smile
smaɪl
style
staɪl
textile
ˈtɛkstaɪl
tile
taɪl
utile
ˈjuːtaɪl

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE WHILE

whift
Whig
whiggamore
Whiggery
Whiggish
Whiggishly
Whiggishness
Whiggism
whigmaleerie
whigmaleery
while away
while-you-wait heel repairs
whilere
whiles
whilk
whilly
whillywha
whilom
whilst
whim

WORDS THAT END LIKE WHILE

Anglophile
audiophile
awhile
basophile
bibliophile
chile
cinephile
electrophile
erstwhile
hydrophile
nucleophile
once in a while
paedophile
pedophile
Santiago de Chile
technophile
the while
wait-a-while
worthwhile
zoophile

Synonyms and antonyms of while in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS OF «WHILE»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «while» and belong to the same grammatical category.
synonyms of while

Translation of «while» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF WHILE

Find out the translation of while to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of while from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «while» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

虽然
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

mientras
570 millions of speakers

English

while
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

जबकि
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

بَيْنَما
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

пока
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

enquanto
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

যখন
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

pendant que
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Sementara
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

während
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

・・・する間
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

...하는 동안에
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Nalika
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

trong khi
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

போது
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

तर
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

süre
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

mentre
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

podczas, gdy
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

тим часом
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

în timp ce
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

ενώ
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

terwyl
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

medan
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

så lenge
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of while

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «WHILE»

The term «while» is very widely used and occupies the 676 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
98
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «while» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of while
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «while».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «WHILE» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «while» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «while» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about while

EXAMPLES

10 QUOTES WITH «WHILE»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word while.
1
Lloyd Blankfein
I got into Goldman really by acquisition because I had gone - I grew up in east New York in the Linden Projects - I did go to fancy schools, but my resume wasn't up to a Wall Street set of resumes. I went to college. I went to law school and practiced for a while.
2
Dionne Bromfield
I found songwriting really hard at first, but after a while it was actually very easy. I wrote about everyday stuff.
3
Anna Camp
I'm a huge fan of Jessica Lange and 'American Horror Story.' I would love to work with her. She's been one of my favorite actresses for a while.
4
Tucker Carlson
I have no way of knowing how people really feel, but the vast majority of those I meet couldn't be nicer. Every once in a while someone barks at me. My New Year's resolution is not to bark back.
5
James Chanos
It's almost sickening now that the regulators 'on the beat' while the biggest credit collapse in modern financial history unfolded are now patting themselves on the back for their 'brave' stance on short-selling!
6
Carly Craig
When I was 19, I celebrated my first Valentine's Day while being in a relationship. I was so excited, but didn't know what the rules were. What should I get him, or was I even supposed to get him something?
7
Samuel Dash
While teaching, I also worked undercover in the lower courts by saying I was a young law teacher wanting experience in criminal law. The judges were happy to assist me but what I learned was how corrupt the lower courts were. Judges were accepting money right in the courtroom.
8
Gail Devers
In February 1991, I was rushed to the hospital in Los Angeles to have my feet amputated. Three years earlier, I had broken the national 100 meters hurdles record while a student at UCLA and was a favourite for the event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
9
Megalyn Echikunwoke
One thing I am really dying to do, while I'm still young and in shape, is an action movie. I would love to do a Lara Croft type of thing that's really physical and tough. I want to have a gun and do martial arts. I would love to get paid to get into the best shape of my life.
10
Jessica Ennis
There was a massive poster of me down my road, right outside the chip shop. I was about to go in, but then I saw it and changed my mind. Me coming out with a bag of chips, while I'm up there doing crunches on the poster... well, it would not look good.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «WHILE»

Discover the use of while in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to while and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Articulate While Black: Barack Obama, Language, and Race in ...
In Articulate While Black, two renowned scholars of Black Language address language and racial politics in the U.S. through an insightful examination of President Barack Obama's language use-and America's response to it.
H. Samy Alim, Geneva Smitherman, 2012
2
The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen's Guide ...
Many of the essays are new, others classic works that continue to inspire. Together, these writers explore a path of heartfelt community involvement that leads beyond despair to compassion and hope.
Paul Loeb, 2007
3
Eat Well, Lose Weight, While Breastfeeding: The Complete ...
The new mom’s most trusted resource–now revised and updated to include the latest in nutrition and dietary concerns This hands-on guide provides mothers with expert advice on losing weight and eating well, so you can feel good about ...
Eileen Behan, 2012
4
'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky: Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child
A revised and expanded edition of the music icon's definitive biography incorporates newly discovered personal writings, additional details on Hendrix's romantic relationships, and additional research into his creative life.
David Henderson, 2008
5
Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with ...
Turn to this guide to help you: Predict what your spouse may do or say in court Take control of your case with assertiveness and strategic thinking Choose a lawyer who understands your case Learn how e-mails and social networking can be ...
Randi Kreger, Bill Eddy, 2011
6
While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes ...
While the World Watched is a poignant and gripping eyewitness account of life in the Jim Crow South—from the bombings, riots and assassinations to the historic marches and triumphs that characterized the Civil Rights movement.
Carolyn Maull McKinstry, 2011
7
Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy
Presents a humorous collection of over 275 lines people believe they have heard in popular songs from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Gavin Edwards, 1995
8
Check it While I Wreck it: Black Womanhood, Hip-hop Culture, ...
Looks at women involved in hip-hop culture, describing their motivations, identitites, aims, and actions.
Gwendolyn D. Pough, 2004
9
While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison
Treating all of Harrison's songs individually, Simon Leng investigates the background of their creation, and finds not just pop and rock, but big band, gospel, and Indian and Polynesian influences.
Simon Leng, 2003
10
Bailout: An Inside Account of How Washington Abandoned Main ...
In this bracing, page-turning account of his stranger-than-fiction baptism into the corrupted ways of Washington, Neil Barofsky offers an irrefutable insider indictment of the mishandling of the $700 billion TARP bailout fund.
Neil Barofsky, 2012

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «WHILE»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term while is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Texting While Walking: Are You Cautious Or Clueless?
Texting while walking decreases the ability to walk in a straight line and slows down pace significantly, according to a study published Wednesday in PLOS ONE ... «NPR, Jul 15»
2
While Guantánamo Logjam Endures, Some Prisoners Could Be Freed
While Mr. Obama's aides wrestle with these political and bureaucratic logjams, cases like that of Mr. Ba Odah and some other inmates present the president with ... «New York Times, Jul 15»
3
13 Tips on How To Speak While Female
I have read all the critiques of women's vocal mannerisms and tics. No “just.” No “sorry.” No uptalk. No vocal fry. I have come to a few simple conclusions, which I ... «Washington Post, Jul 15»
4
Netflix Refines Its DVD Business, Even as Streaming Unit Booms
“That ability to move while the plane is flying from a tailwind to a headwind is challenging, and Reed has done an amazing job of making those changes,” said ... «New York Times, Jul 15»
5
While Some Republicans Seize Chance to Attack Hillary Clinton …
The latest chapter in the continuing story of Hillary Rodham Clinton's State Department emails has presented Republican presidential candidates with a new ... «New York Times, Jul 15»
6
Technology, While Not a Fountain of Youth, Can Make Aging Safer
JEAN DICKOW, 78, never wanted the latest whiz-bang technology. But her gadget-friendly daughter, who lives in Norway, was worried that Ms. Dickow would ... «New York Times, Jul 15»
7
What Donald Trump was up to while John McCain was a prisoner of …
And what was he doing while McCain was locked up in the infamous prison that POWs sarcastically dubbed the Hanoi Hilton? The answer reveals deep divides ... «Washington Post, Jul 15»
8
Listening to Ta-Nehisi Coates While White
Dear Ta-Nehisi Coates,. The last year has been an education for white people. There has been a depth, power and richness to the African-American ... «New York Times, Jul 15»
9
Well | Doctors and Nurses Often Work While Sick
A study of health care workers in a children's hospital has found that 83 percent had come to work while sick at least once in the past year, even though almost ... «New York Times, Jul 15»
10
The Work We Do While We Sleep
It's strange, when you think about it, that we spend close to a third of our lives asleep. Why do we do it? While we're sleeping, we're vulnerable—and, at least on ... «The New Yorker, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. While [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/while>. Apr 2024 ».
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