while

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++while1 /waɪl/ ●●● S1 W1 conjunction  1  DURINGTIME/AT THE SAME TIMEWHENduring the time that something is happening 当…时，在…时 They arrived while we were having dinner. 他们来时我们正在吃饭。 While she was asleep, thieves broke in and stole her handbag. 她睡着的时候，小偷闯进来偷走了她的手提包。 She met Andy while working on a production of ‘Carmen’. 排练《卡门》时，她认识了安迪。2  all the time that something is happening 在…的过程中 Would you look after the children while I do the shopping? 我买东西时你能不能照看一下孩子们？5 GRAMMAR 语法• In a clause beginning with while that refers to the future, use the present tense, not ‘will’. 在while引导的表示将来的从句中要用一般现在时，不用willI will enjoy my fame while it lasts (NOT 不说 while it will last).我要趁声名尚在时好好享受。n GRAMMAR: Choosing the right tenseYou use the present tense, not ‘will’, with while when you are talking about the future: I hope to visit the British Museum while I am in London. ✗Don’t say I hope to visit the British Museum while I will be in London.3  BUTused to emphasize the difference between two situations, activities etc 却；但是；而〔用于强调两种情况、活动等之间的差别〕 Schools in the north tend to be better equipped, while those in the south are relatively poor. 北方的学校设施往往要好一些，而南方的学校则相对差一些。► see thesaurus at but4  ALTHOUGHin spite of the fact that 虽然，尽管 SYN although While never a big eater, he did snack a lot. 他虽然胃口从来都不大，但零食确实是吃得很多。 While there was no conclusive evidence, most people thought he was guilty. 虽然没有确凿的证据，大多数人还是认为他有罪。5  while I’m/you’re etc at/about it spoken used to suggest that someone should do something at the same time that they do something else 在做某事的同时〔做另一件事〕 Print out what you’ve written, and while you’re at it make a copy for me. 把你写的东西打印出来，同时给我也印一份。 THESAURUSwhile during the time that you are doing something, or something is happening 当…时，在…时I bought a magazine while I was waiting for the train. 我在等火车时买了本杂志。While we were on holiday, my bag was stolen. 我们在度假时我的包被偷了。meanwhile at the same time as something else is happening 与此同时They’re still working on our bedroom. Meanwhile, we’re sleeping downstairs. 他们还在给我们的卧室装修，这段时间我们就睡在楼下。The Russians, meanwhile, declared war on August 8. 与此同时，俄国人在8月8日宣战了。in the meantime during the period of time between now and a future event, or between two events in the past 在此期间，同时More aid is expected soon, but in the meantime these people are going hungry. 很快就会有更多的救援物资送到，但是在此期间这些人还要挨饿。My new job hadn’t started, so in the meantime I tried to write a book. 我的新工作尚未开始，所以在此期间我想写一本书。whilst British English while. Whilst sounds a little more formal than while 当…的时候〔比while略正式〕One American plane was forced to land whilst flying over North Korea. 一架美国飞机在飞越朝鲜上空时被迫降落。Whilst all this was going on, the performers were getting ready for the show. 当所有这些正在进行时，表演者正为演出做着准备。

Examples from the Corpus

while• They were killed while attempting to reach the summit.• While I like Carter personally, I don't think what he's doing is right.• My car was stolen while I was on holiday.• I read the book while I was on the plane.• I bought a magazine while I was waiting for the train.• While Sandy was filling out the forms, I called Jimmy from the airport.• While she is a likable girl, she can be extremely difficult to work with.• Someone broke into her house while she was on vacation.• While she was out of the room, he took a quick look at the papers on her desk.• While six percent of ordinary homes were damaged in the earthquake, only three percent of mobile homes were damaged.• While teaching standards could be raised, more funding would also help.• I'll just make a phone call while you finish the dishes.while2 ●●● S1 W2 noun  1  a while SHORT TIMEa period of time, especially a short one 一段时间〔尤指较短的时间〕 It takes a while to recover from the operation. 手术后需要一段时间恢复。in a while Mr Thomas will be with you in a while. 托马斯先生过一会儿会来见你。for a while At last, he could relax for a while. 他终于可以放松一下了。a little/short while Wait a little while before deciding. 等等再作决定。 We talked for quite a while (=a fairly long time) on the phone. 我们在电话里交谈了很长时间。2  all the while all the time that something is happening 一直，始终 He examined her thoroughly, talking softly all the while. 他给她作了彻底的检查，同时始终柔声细语地跟她交谈。 She continued working, all the while keeping an eye on the clock. 她继续工作，同时一直留神注意着时间。 → (every) once in a while at once1(8), → be worth somebody’s while (to do/doing something) at worth1(5), → make it worth somebody’s while at worth1(6)

Examples from the Corpus

while• After a while he got the point that it was permanent.• After a while we are aware of a deviation, the gravitational pull of an unseen planet.• Things might be difficult for a while but I didn't envisage any radical changes.• The industry's hit-men will have to lie quiet, for a while.• Jasper and I watched them for a while, and they summoned us, in a friendly way, to join them.• But I begged his indulgence to share it with him just a little while longer.while3 verb  while away the hours/evening/days etc SPEND TIMEto spend time in a pleasant and lazy way 消磨时间/夜晚/日子等 The evenings were whiled away in endless games of cards. 晚上的时光都是在没完没了的牌局中消磨过去的。→ See Verb tableOrigin while2 Old English hwil

while1 conjunction →5 GRAMMAR1 →n GRAMMAR2
→THESAURUS1while2 nounwhile3 verbLDOCE OnlineChinese  

during something that happening time the is Corpus

while

I

while¹ S1 W1 /waɪl/ conjunction
1. during the time that something is happening:
    They arrived while we were having dinner.
    While she was asleep, thieves broke in and stole her handbag.
    She met Andy while working on a production of Carmen.
2. all the time that something is happening:
    Would you look after the children while I do the shopping?
  GRAMMAR
    In a clause beginning with while that refers to the future, use the present tense, not 'will':
   ▪ I will enjoy my fame while it lasts (NOT while it will last).
3. used to emphasize the difference between two situations, activities etc:
    Schools in the north tend to be better equipped, while those in the south are relatively poor.
4. in spite of the fact that
   SYN  although:
    While never a big eater, he did snack a lot.
    While there was no conclusive evidence, most people thought he was guilty.
5. while I’m/you’re etc at/about it spoken used to suggest that someone should do something at the same time that they do something else:
    Print out what you’ve written, and while you’re at it make a copy for me.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ while during the time that you are doing something, or something is happening: I bought a magazine while I was waiting for the train. | While we were on holiday, my bag was stolen.
   ▪ meanwhile at the same time as something else is happening: They’re still working on our bedroom. Meanwhile, we’re sleeping downstairs. | The Russians, meanwhile, declared war on August 8.
   ▪ in the meantime during the period of time between now and a future event, or between two events in the past: More aid is expected soon, but in the meantime these people are going hungry. | My new job hadn’t started, so in the meantime I tried to write a book.
   ▪ whilst British English while. Whilst sounds a little more formal than while: One American plane was forced to land whilst flying over North Korea. | Whilst all this was going on, the performers were getting ready for the show.

II

while² S1 W2 noun1. a while a period of time, especially a short one:
    It takes a while to recover from the operation.
    in a while
    Mr Thomas will be with you in a while.
    for a while
    At last, he could relax for a while.
    a little/short while
    Wait a little while before deciding.
    We talked for quite a while (=a fairly long time) on the phone.
2. all the while all the time that something is happening:
    He examined her thoroughly, talking softly all the while.
    She continued working, all the while keeping an eye on the clock.
⇨ (every) once in a while at once¹(8), ⇨ be worth sb’s while (to do/doing something) at worth¹(5), ⇨ make it worth sb’s while at worth¹(6)
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ when at or during the time that something happens: Call me when you get home. | When I got here, the place was empty.
   ▪ while during the time that something is happening – used to emphasize that something is continuing: I’ll make the salad while you set the table. | While we were on holiday, our house was burgled.
   ▪ whenever used in order to emphasize that something always happens when another thing happens: He visits his mother whenever he can. | You can come and talk to me whenever you have a problem.
   ▪ by the time used in order to say that one thing has or will have already happened when something else happens: By the time a child is five, he will have watched hundreds of hours of television.

III

while³ verb
while away the hours/evening/days etc to spend time in a pleasant and lazy way:
    The evenings were whiled away in endless games of cards.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ when at or during the time that something happens: Call me when you get home. | When I got here, the place was empty.
   ▪ while during the time that something is happening – used to emphasize that something is continuing: I’ll make the salad while you set the table. | While we were on holiday, our house was burgled.
   ▪ whenever used in order to emphasize that something always happens when another thing happens: He visits his mother whenever he can. | You can come and talk to me whenever you have a problem.
   ▪ by the time used in order to say that one thing has or will have already happened when something else happens: By the time a child is five, he will have watched hundreds of hours of television.