whiles
Definition
- Conjunction (archaic):
- During the time that: "whiles" is an archaic or dialectal variant of "while," meaning during or throughout the time that something else happens.
- Although or whereas: It can also express contrast or concession, similar to "while" in a concessive sense.
Usage Examples
- Conjunction:
- Whiles the children slept, the parents prepared supper. (During the time the children were sleeping.)
- He laboured diligently, whiles his brother idled away the hours. (Although he worked hard, his brother was lazy — expressing contrast.)
Advanced Usage
In dialectal or poetic contexts: "whiles" may appear in older literature or regional speech.
- Whiles I was yet speaking, she entered the room. (While I was still speaking.)
"the whiles": an older phrase meaning "meanwhile" or "during that time."
- He went to the market; the whiles, she baked bread. (Meanwhile, she baked bread.)
Variants and Related Words
While (conjunction/noun): the standard modern form.
- She read while he cooked. (During the time he cooked.)
Whilom (adj/adv, archaic): former or formerly.
- He was a whilom friend. (A former friend.)
Synonyms
- During: throughout the time of.
- Whilst: a more formal or British variant of "while."
Related Idioms
- While away the time: to pass time in a leisurely manner.
- They whiled away the afternoon with games. (They spent the afternoon playing games — note: this idiom uses "while," not "whiles.")
Note on Usage
"Whiles" is considered obsolete in standard modern English, except in certain dialects (e.g., Scottish or Northern English) or in historical texts. Learners should use "while" or "whilst" for contemporary communication.