Awhile: meaning, definitions and examples
⏳
awhile
[ əˈwaɪl ]
time duration
Awhile is an adverb meaning for a short period of time. It is often used to suggest that something will happen or should happen after a brief interval.
Synonyms
briefly, for a bit, momentarily, temporarily.
Examples of usage
- Please wait awhile before you leave.
- She sat awhile to catch her breath.
- I’ll be back in awhile.
- Let’s talk for awhile before making a decision.
Translations
Translations of the word "awhile" in other languages:
🇵🇹 um tempo
🇮🇳 कुछ समय
🇩🇪 eine Weile
🇮🇩 sejenak
🇺🇦 трохи часу
🇵🇱 chwila
🇯🇵 しばらく
🇫🇷 un moment
🇪🇸 un rato
🇹🇷 bir süre
🇰🇷 잠시
🇸🇦 لفترة قصيرة
🇨🇿 chvíli
🇸🇰 chvíľu
🇨🇳 一段时间
🇸🇮 nekaj časa
🇮🇸 smá stund
🇰🇿 біраз уақыт
🇬🇪 რამდენიმე ხანი
🇦🇿 bir müddət
🇲🇽 un rato
Etymology
The word 'awhile' is a combination of 'a' and 'while'. The 'a' in this context is an archaic form of 'for', a usage that has mostly fallen out of modern English, while 'while' refers to a span of time. 'While' itself comes from Old English 'hwile', which means a certain period of time or duration. The use of 'awhile' dates back to the late 14th century, cementing its place in English as a term denoting a brief time frame. It is often confused with the phrase 'a while', where 'while' functions as a noun; however, 'awhile' is strictly an adverb.
Word Frequency Rank
Ranked #10,683, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.
- ...
- 10680 vividly
- 10681 rotate
- 10682 repetitive
- 10683 awhile
- 10684 extraordinarily
- 10685 emptied
- 10686 casualty
- ...