while

US: /ˈhwaɪɫ/, /ˈwaɪɫ/
UK: /wˈa‍ɪl/


English Vietnamese dictionary


while /wail/
  • danh từ
    • lúc, chốc, lát
      • after a while: một lát sau
      • a long while: một lúc lâu, một thời gian dài
      • in a little while: ngay
      • for a long while past: từ lâu
      • all the while: suốt thời gian
      • between whiles: giữa lúc đó
      • for a while: một lúc
      • the while: trong lúc đó, trong khi
      • once in a while: thỉnh thong, đôi khi
    • to be worth [one's] while
      • bõ công, đáng làm
  • ngoại động từ
    • to while away l ng phí, làm mất, để trôi qua; giết (thì giờ)
      • to while away the time: để thì giờ trôi qua; giết thì giờ
  • liên từ ((cũng) whilst)
    • trong lúc, trong khi, đang khi, đang lúc
      • while at school, he worked very hard: khi còn ở trường anh ta học tập rất chăm chỉ
    • chừng nào còn, còn
      • while there is life, there is hope: còn sống thì còn hy vọng; còn nước còn tát
    • còn, trong khi mà, mà
      • the hat is red, while the shoes are black: mũ thì đỏ mà giày thì lại đen

Advanced English dictionary


conjunction, noun, verb
+ conjunction
(also formal whilst especially in BrE)
1 during the time that sth is happening
Synonym: WHEN
We must have been burgled while we were asleep. + Her parents died while she was still at school. + While I was waiting at the bus stop, three buses went by in the opposite direction.
2 at the same time as sth else is happening: You can go swimming while I'm having lunch. + shoes mended while you wait
3 used to contrast two things: While Tom's very good at science, his brother is absolutely hopeless. + Some people work better to music while others do not.
4 (used at the beginning of a sentence) although; in spite of the fact that ...: While I am willing to help, I do not have much time available.
+ noun [sing.] a period of time: They chatted for a while. + I'll be back in a little while (= a short time). + I haven't seen him for quite a while (= a fairly long time). + They walked back together, talking all the while (= all the time).
Idioms see ONCE adv., WORTH adj.
verb
Phrasal Verbs: while sth<->away to spend time in a pleasant lazy way: We whiled away the time reading and playing cards.

Collocation dictionary


ADJ.

brief, little, short | fair, good, long, some
Things continued quiet for some while.

VERB + WHILE

take
I'll mend it for you, but it could take a while.

PREP.

after a ~
After a while, I began to get bored with my job.
| for a/the ~
They chatted for a while. There's no need to do anything for the while.
| in a ~
I'll be back in a while.

PHRASES

all the while
The bird hopped across the lawn, keeping a sharp lookout all the while.
| once in a while
Everybody makes a mistake once in a while (= occasionally).
| (for) quite a while
He kept me waiting for quite a while.
| a while back
The problems started a while back.


Concise English dictionary


whiles|whiled|whilinghwaɪl /w-
noun
+a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition