while

while
noun

a period of time
一会儿，一段时间
we chatted for a while.
我们聊了一会儿。
she retired a little while ago.
她刚退休不久。
■(a while)for some time
片刻，暂时
can I keep it a while?.
我能暂时保留它吗？。
(the while)at the same time; meanwhile
同时；与此同时
he starts to draw, talking the while.
他开始画画，边画边讲。
■(poetic/literary)during the time that
(诗／文)在此期间
beseeching him, the while his hand she wrung.
她恳求他，并紧抓住他的手。

conjunction

during the time that; at the same time as
当…的时候，和…同时
nothing much changed while he was away.
他不在的时候，没有什么太大变化。
whereas (indicating a contrast)
而，然而（表示对比）
one person wants out, while the other wants the relationship to continue.
一人想就此了断，而另一人想继续保持这种关系。
■in spite of the fact that; although
虽然，尽管
while I wouldn't recommend a night-time visit, by day the area is full of interest.
虽然我不建议夜间游玩，但是在白天，这个地区很有玩头。

relative adverb

during which
在…的时候
the period while the animal remains alive.
在动物还活着的时候。

verb

[with obj.](while time away)pass time in a leisurely manner
消磨时光
a diversion to while away the long afternoons.
消磨整个漫长下午的消遣活动。

preposition

(N. English)until
(北英格兰)直到
father will be happy while dinner time.
一直到晚餐时间，父亲都会很开心。

常用词组
worth while (或 worth one's while)

worth the time or effort spent
值得某人花时间（精力等）

语源

Old English hwīl 'period of time', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wijl, German Weile; the conjunction is an abbreviation of Old English thā. hwīle the 'the while that'

用法

1 On the distinction between worth while and worthwhile, see usage at worthwhile.
2 In dialects of Northern England while is used to mean ‘until’, as in I waited while six o'clock This use is not standard English, however

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