"Whiles" is an old way of spelling "while." It is not commonly used in the modern day but can be found in older literature or in a poetic context. In Scotland, "whiles" can be used to mean "sometimes."
The modernly spelled "while" has various meanings. The primary definitions are as follows.
As a noun, "while" means a period or length of time as in "I haven't seen him in a while."
As a conjunction, "while" can be used in three different ways. In the first way, it can be used when two actions are happening at the same time as in "She sang while he played the piano." In the second way, "while" can be used to show contrast between two ideas or actions as in "While I understand your point, I disagree with your conclusion." In the third way, "while" is used more like "although" or "whereas" as in "While it's a nice idea, it might not be practical."
Although not as commonly used, "while" as a verb means to spend time in a particular manner as in "He whiled away the hours reading."
Example sentences
- While I was reading, the phone rang, interrupting my concentration.
- He sang a song while he played the guitar at the campfire.
- She likes to listen to music while she exercises to stay motivated.
- While I admire your creativity, I think we should consider a more practical solution.
- The children played outside for hours while the sun shone brightly.
- While it's true that I enjoy chocolate, I try to limit my consumption for health reasons.
- The cat napped peacefully on the windowsill while the rain poured outside.
- She pondered her options for a while before making a decision.
- While I appreciate your offer, I can handle this task on my own.
- The dog wagged its tail enthusiastically while its owner approached.
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