Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [uh-hwahyl, uh-wahyl]
- /əˈʰwaɪl, əˈwaɪl/
- /əˈwaɪl/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [uh-hwahyl, uh-wahyl]
- /əˈʰwaɪl, əˈwaɪl/
Definitions of awhile word
- adverb awhile Awhile means for a short time. It is more commonly spelled 'a while', which is considered more correct, especially in British English. 3
- adverb awhile Awhile is also a noun. 3
- adverb awhile for a brief period 3
- adverb awhile for a while; for a short time 3
- adverb awhile for a short time or period: Stay awhile. 1
- noun awhile The adverb awhile is spelled as a single word: After stopping in Hadley awhile, we drove to Deerfield. As the object of a preposition, the noun phrase a while is used, especially in edited writing, but the single-word form is becoming increasingly common: We rested for a while (or awhile). 1
Information block about the term
Origin of awhile
First appearance:
before 1000 One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; Middle English; Old English āne hwīle (dative); see a1, while
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Awhile
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
awhile popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 83% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
awhile usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for awhile
adv awhile
- briefly — Something that happens or is done briefly happens or is done for a very short period of time.
- momentarily — for a moment; briefly: to pause momentarily.
- temporarily — lasting, existing, serving, or effective for a time only; not permanent: a temporary need; a temporary job.
- for the moment — for now
- transiently — not lasting, enduring, or permanent; transitory.
Top questions with awhile
- who sings it's been awhile?
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- what causes stiffness after sitting for awhile?
- who sang keep me in your heart for awhile?
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- who sings keep me in your heart for awhile?
- how to disappear for awhile?
- what does once in awhile mean?
- what rhymes with awhile?
- how to get off facebook for awhile?
- why does it take awhile to get pregnant?
- how to spell awhile?
- when to use a while or awhile?
See also
Matching words
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