whiles
/(h)waɪlz/ adverb, conjunction
Also a form of while
- adverb (archaic or Scotland) sometimes; at times
- adverb (archaic or Scotland) meanwhile
- conjunction (archaic or dialect) while, whilst
Etymology
From while (noun) + -s (adverbial suffix); compare whilst.
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Webster’s 1913
- adverb Meanwhile; meantime. [R.]
- adverb sometimes; at times. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott. The whiles. See under While, n.
- conjunction During the time that; while. [Archaic] Chaucer. Fuller.
Etymology [See While, n., and -wards.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “whiles”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details