while

while: while [{{t}}waɪl]

1 conjunction

(a) (during the time that) pendant que;

∎ he read the paper while he waited il lisait le journal en attendant;

∎ while (you're) in London you should visit the British Museum pendant que vous serez à Londres ou pendant votre séjour à Londres, il faut visiter le British Museum;

∎ she fell asleep while on duty elle s'est endormie pendant le service;

∎ he cut himself while (he was) shaving il s'est coupé en se rasant;

∎ while this was going on pendant ce temps-là;

∎ heels repaired/keys cut while you wait (sign) talons/clés minute;

∎ while you're up could you fetch me some water? puisque tu es debout, peux-tu aller me chercher de l'eau?;

∎ while you're at or about it, could you photocopy this too? pendant que tu y es, peux-tu aussi me photocopier cela?

(b) (although) bien que, quoique;

∎ while I admit it's difficult, it's not impossible j'admets que c'est difficile, mais ce n'est pas impossible;

∎ while comprehensive, the report lacked clarity bien que détaillé le rapport manquait de clarté

(c) (whereas) alors que, tandis que;

∎ while he loves opera, I prefer jazz il adore l'opéra alors que moi je préfère le jazz;

∎ she's left-wing, while he's rather conservative elle est de gauche tandis que lui est plutôt conservateur

2 noun

∎ to wait a while attendre (un peu);

∎ after a while au bout de quelque temps;

∎ for a while/a long while I believed her pendant un certain temps/pendant assez longtemps je l'ai crue;

∎ it took me a while to realize what she meant j'ai mis un certain temps à comprendre ce qu'elle voulait dire;

∎ a long while ago il y a longtemps;

∎ I was in the States a short while ago j'étais aux États-Unis il y a peu (de temps);

∎ she was in the garden a short while ago elle était dans le jardin il y a un instant;

∎ it's been a good while since I've seen her ça fait pas mal de temps que je ne l'ai pas vue;

∎ it will be a good while before you see him again vous ne le reverrez pas de si tôt;

∎ it takes quite a while to get there il faut un certain temps pour y aller;

∎ all the while (pendant) tout ce temps;

∎ once in a while de temps en temps, de temps à autre

➲ while away separable transitive verb

faire passer;

∎ to while away the time passer le temps;

∎ she whiled away the hours reading until he returned elle passa le temps à lire jusqu'à son retour

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while — while, whilst 1. Both forms are used in BrE, but whilst is not much used in AmE. There is no distinction in usage as regards meaning, although varying grammatical patterns are noted below. 2. The word is a conjunction, and its primary sense is… … Modern English usage
While — While, n. [AS. hw[=i]l; akin to OS. hw[=i]l, hw[=i]la, OFries. hw[=i]le, D. wigl, G. weile, OHG. w[=i]la, hw[=i]la, hw[=i]l, Icel. hv[=i]la a bed, hv[=i]ld rest, Sw. hvila, Dan. hvile, Goth. hweila a time, and probably to L. quietus quiet, and… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
While — and whilst are conjunctions whose primary meaning is during the time that . An example is::The days were hot while we were on vacation.:I read a magazine whilst I was waiting. While and whilst can nowadays legitimately be used in the contrastive… … Wikipedia
while — [hwīl, wīl] n. [ME < OE hwil, akin to Ger weile < IE base * kweye , to rest > L quies, quiet] a period or space of time [a short while] conj. 1. during or throughout the time that [we waited while she dined] 2. at the same time that… … English World dictionary
while — ► NOUN 1) (a while) a period of time. 2) (a while) for some time. 3) (the while) at the same time; meanwhile. 4) (the while) literary during the time that. ► … English terms dictionary
While — While, conj. 1. During the time that; as long as; whilst; at the same time that; as, while I write, you sleep. While I have time and space. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
While as — While While, conj. 1. During the time that; as long as; whilst; at the same time that; as, while I write, you sleep. While I have time and space. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
While — While, prep. Until; till. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.] [1913 Webster] I may be conveyed into your chamber; I ll lie under your bed while midnight. Beau. & Fl. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
while — while, wile, beguile, fleet mean to pass time, especially leisure time, without being bored. One whiles or wiles away a space of time by causing it to be filled by something pleasant, diverting, or amusing {they can while away an hour very… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
while — [conj1] as long as although, at the same time, during, during the time, in the time, throughout the time, whilst; concept 799 while [conj2] even though albeit, although, howbeit, much as, though, when, whereas; concept 544 while [n] time interval … New thesaurus
while I'm at it — ˌwhile you re/I m etc. ˈat it idiom used to suggest that sb could do sth while they are doing sth else • ‘I m just going to buy some postcards.’ ‘Can you get me some stamps while you re at it?’ Main entry: ↑whileidiom … Useful english dictionary

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