Ausmumof3 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 I recently came across the phrase “while away the hours” in a book.” I had always though it as “wile away” as in the trick the hours to go faster and assumed it was an error. But some googling and online dictionary searches shows that both are actually considered correct and that “while” has historically been used as a verb. However most of the quotes from classical literature seemed to use “wile”. Which usage are you familiar with and is one older or more correct than the other? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 Very interesting. I was only familiar with wile but looked it up and it seems like while is correct? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 (edited) I’m only familiar with while. I think of it as spending an afternoon doing something pleasant and relaxing for the time to go by. Like — reading a book or puttering in the yard. I am frequently wrong, though, lol. Edit: I’m familiar with “whiling away the day” and “whiling away the afternoon.” Edit: I think I have said before that I’m whiling away the afternoon if I have plans in the evening. I’m just waiting for it to be evening, but not in a bad way, in a nice way. Like — all the chores are done, there’s nothing pressing or urgent to do. Edited April 20, 2023 by Lecka 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 While! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 I can do either or both on a given day. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 I'm only familiar with while. This thread is the first I heard of wile away the hours. Apparently while is the correct one. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 While. I even pronounce it with the "wh" sound (which is different than the "w" sound) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 I *really* pronounce “wh” but I have heard many people who say the “wh” sound exactly the same as I say the “w” sound for all words with “wh.” To me they don’t even say “wh.” I think they really do but I can’t distinguish it. So I think it might be a pronunciation thing that is just part of an accent but things are basically the same word even though they are spelled differently. Like — for the word “whale” I say it with such a “wh” but many people say what to me would be “wale.” I think I might have a strong accent to a person from Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 I've only ever seen wile. I would have assumed "while" was incorrect if I had seen someone use it before seeing this thread. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 as a verb, while means to "pass the time in a leisurely manner". wile means to entice, lure as a verb. While I do see it listed as another way to say "wile away the time", it doesn't make sense when used in that way. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 I have never heard either before I do occasionally sit in idleness, wasting time. Is that the same thing? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted April 20, 2023 Author Share Posted April 20, 2023 4 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said: as a verb, while means to "pass the time in a leisurely manner". wile means to entice, lure as a verb. While I do see it listed as another way to say "wile away the time", it doesn't make sense when used in that way. It is used that way though according to MW. Some authors that use it are Louisa May Alcott and Dickens. I always understood it to mean you “trick” the hours into passing quickly by doing something enjoyable. https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/while-away-wile-away-usage I was wondering if there were maybe regional differences but it seems to be kind of evenly spread. Wh and w sound the same with my accent which makes spelling hard for some kids unfortunately. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 (edited) Well, the first thing I thought of was "I could w[h]ile away the hours..." from the song "If I Only Had a Brain" (from Wizard of Oz) so I looked up some lyric sites and they all say "while." Trivia: we had our pianist play this song at our wedding reception. Edited April 20, 2023 by marbel 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 Whiling away time is not wasting time or being idle or lazy. It has a positive connotation. If you have chores and aren’t doing them, if you are neglecting a task, then that is not whiling away time. That is wasting time or being lazy. If you are taking a break or a rest, because you are tired, or need to pause, or need to take a few minutes to regroup and then get back to getting things done — that is not whiling away time, either. Having a short time between two tasks is also not whiling away time. With my example of puttering in the yard — if there is work to be done, that needs to be done, that is not whiling away time. If you are just enjoying being out and seeing the fruits of your labors, and feeling like things are good in life, and thinking it’s nice to have things going well, then that could definitely be part of whiling away time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted April 20, 2023 Author Share Posted April 20, 2023 1 hour ago, Lecka said: Whiling away time is not wasting time or being idle or lazy. It has a positive connotation. If you have chores and aren’t doing them, if you are neglecting a task, then that is not whiling away time. That is wasting time or being lazy. If you are taking a break or a rest, because you are tired, or need to pause, or need to take a few minutes to regroup and then get back to getting things done — that is not whiling away time, either. Having a short time between two tasks is also not whiling away time. With my example of puttering in the yard — if there is work to be done, that needs to be done, that is not whiling away time. If you are just enjoying being out and seeing the fruits of your labors, and feeling like things are good in life, and thinking it’s nice to have things going well, then that could definitely be part of whiling away time. Kind of like the schole concept of leisure? When you actually have spare time and use it positively for rest/relaxation but in a positive/rejuvenating way not just kicking rocks around? Interesting distinction. It makes me kind of sad because it feels like a concept that is being lost in modern life? Could you say, “I whiled/wiled away the hours watching Netflix”? 😂😂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 8 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said: as a verb, while means to "pass the time in a leisurely manner". wile means to entice, lure as a verb. While I do see it listed as another way to say "wile away the time", it doesn't make sense when used in that way. This. As in my husband would be thrilled if I whiled my time using my feminine wiles on him. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 (edited) I assumed "wile" because I pronounce while more like wahll. Never occured to me that the phrase could be using the word "while" Edited April 20, 2023 by happi duck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 Other: I whine away the hours. 😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted April 20, 2023 Author Share Posted April 20, 2023 1 hour ago, Faith-manor said: Other: I whine away the hours. 😁 Lol… Or is it wine away the hours??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Mouse Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 I can’t remember ever reading or using that phrase. The only thing that comes to mind is the Scarecrow singing in the Wizard of Oz movie musical. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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