While | Mean of while in English Dictionary

/ˈwajəl/

• during the time that
1. Someone called while you were out.
2. You can get the photos developed while you wait.
3. The phone rang while I was doing the dishes.
4. They met while they were in college.
5. We should enjoy this good weather while it lasts. = We should enjoy this good weather while we can.
6. Can I get you anything while I'm at the store?
• in spite of the fact that
1. While (he is) respected, the mayor is not liked.
2. He made a comment that, while well-intentioned, still hurt my feelings.
3. While I think some parts of the plan are good, I don't think it's practical.
• Noun
• a period of time
1. It took them a while to find out what was causing the problem.
2. Why don't we stay here (for) a while?
3. It has been quite a while since I last saw her. = I haven't seen her for a (good) long while. [=for a long time]
4. He claimed that he was happy, but he was thinking all the while [=during that entire time] of quitting his job.

• worth doing
1. If you help me I'll make it worth your while. [=I'll make it worthwhile for you; I'll reward you for helping me]
2. It would be worth your while to study the material again before the test.
• Verb
• to spend (time) doing something pleasant and easy
1. We whiled away the afternoon with a walk around the garden.
2. They whiled the hours away telling jokes and stories.