1a whileSHORT TIMEa period of time, especially a short one 一段时间〔尤指较短的时间〕
It takes a while to recover from the operation.
手术后需要一段时间恢复。
in a while
Mr Thomas will be with you in a while.
托马斯先生过一会儿会来见你。
for a while
At last, he could relax for a while.
他终于可以放松一下了。
a little/short while
Wait a little while before deciding.
等等再作决定。
We talked for quite a while (=a fairly long time) on the phone.
我们在电话里交谈了很长时间。
Examples from the Corpus
a while• A little while later, Rickreturned with the drinks.• After a while, I realised he was serious.• After a while, I realized what he meant.• It's been a while since I read the book, and I can't remember much about it, to be honest.• It's been a while since we last heard from Jo.• So you guys were in Brazil for a while, huh?• Can I hold her for a little while?• How's Lynne? I haven't seen her for a while.• He was furious, and it took him a while to calm down.• I haven't played chess in a really long while.• I haven't worn that jacket in a while.• It took me a while before I could understand him.• He's been going out with her quite a while now, hasn't he?• 'Is that a photo of him?' 'Yeah, that was taken a while back - his hair's longer now.'• He fought for the titlea while ago.• Can you waita while?
2all the whileall the time that something is happening 一直,始终
He examined her thoroughly, talking softly all the while.
他给她作了彻底的检查,同时始终柔声细语地跟她交谈。
She continued working, all the while keeping an eye on the clock.
她继续工作,同时一直留神注意着时间。
Examples from the Corpus
all the while• All the while I was in college, Joan was traveling.• But all the while he was learning and soon the time had come when he was no longer satisfied to design for others.• Phillis without a frown or smile Sat and knotted, and knotted and knotted and knotted all the while.• He talked to her as if they were lovers, all the while keeping a knifepressed against her throat.• The weather was perfectall the while we were there, the evenings very lovely, moonlightsoftened by fog.• The bugle sounded the charge; the horsemen's pace increased, but remained all the while under control.• Yet all the while she spoke with me, she never made a sound nor expressed any sadness or regret.
→ (every) once in a whileat once1(8), → be worth somebody’s while (to do/doing something)at worth1(5), → make it worth somebody’s whileat worth1(6)