adv
Meaning 1
For some time; for a short time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
- Sit with me awhile.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
awhile
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/əˈwaɪl/
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/əˈʍaɪl/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -aɪl
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CMU ARPABET: AH0 W AY1 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adv
Meaning 2
In the meantime; during an implicit ongoing process.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, not-comparable
Qualifier: south-central Pennsylvania
Examples
- Can I get you a drink awhile?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
Meaning 3
for a short time
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- sit down and stay awhile
- they settled awhile in Virginia before moving West
- the baby was quiet for a while
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: for a while
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Old English āne (“(for) a”) hwīle (“while”).
Across languages
Translations
29 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bengali: কিছুক্ষন (kichukkhon) — For some time; for a short time
- Bulgarian: за изве́стно вре́ме (za izvéstno vréme) — For some time; for a short time
- Chinese Mandarin: 一會兒 /一会儿 (yīhuìr) — For some time; for a short time
- Esperanto: dum iom da tempo — For some time; for a short time
- Finnish: hetken — For some time; for a short time
- Finnish: hetkisen — For some time; for a short time
- Finnish: hetken aikaa — For some time; for a short time
- Finnish: vähän aikaa — For some time; for a short time
- French: un moment — For some time; for a short time
- French: un peu — For some time; for a short time
- French: un instant — For some time; for a short time
- German: eine Weile — For some time; for a short time
- Indonesian: sebentar — For some time; for a short time
- Irish: go fóill — For some time; for a short time
- Irish: ar feadh píosa — For some time; for a short time
- Irish: ar feadh tamaill — For some time; for a short time
- Italian: per un po' — For some time; for a short time
- Japanese: 暫く (shibaraku) — For some time; for a short time
- Korean: 잠깐 (jamkkan) — For some time; for a short time
- Polish: na chwilę — For some time; for a short time
- Polish: na moment — For some time; for a short time
- Portuguese: por um tempo — For some time; for a short time
- Russian: ненадо́лго (nenadólgo) — For some time; for a short time
- Russian: на не́которое вре́мя (na nékotoroje vrémja) — For some time; for a short time
- Spanish: un rato — For some time; for a short time
- Spanish: algún tiempo — For some time; for a short time
- Hindi: तब तक (tab tak) — In the meantime; meanwhile
- Japanese: 既にして (sude ni shite) — In the meantime; meanwhile
- Polish: w międzyczasie — In the meantime; meanwhile