whiles noun, conjunction, preposition, & adverb. [wʌɪlz] arch. ME.
[from WHILE noun + -S³.]
A. noun.
1. With indef. article, def. article, demonstr. adjective, or adjective of quantity, used adverbially: = WHILE noun 2. ME-M17.

2. With def. article, used as conjunction: = WHILE noun 3. Now rare or obsolete. ME.
■ Sir W. Scott They feasted..The whiles a Northern harper..Chanted a rhime.
b. conjunction.
1. = WHILE conjunction 1. ME.

2. = WHILE conjunction 2. LME-E17.

3. = WHILE conjunction 3. M16-M17.
C. preposition. = WHILE preposition. LME-M16.
D. adverb.
1. = WHILE adverb 2. Scot. LME-L16.

2. At times, sometimes; esp. (introducing parallel phrs. or clauses) now ... then. Cf. WHILE adverb 1. Chiefly & now only Scot. L15.
■ R. L. Stevenson So we lay..whiles whispering, whiles lying still.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲