Talk:wile
Latest comment: 2 years ago by Equinox
Usage notes edit
The phrase meaning to pass time idly is while away. We can trace the meaning in an adjectival sense for while back to Old English, hwīlen — passing, transitory. We also see it in the whilend — temporary, transitory. But since wile away happens so often, it is now included in many dictionaries. As can be seen above, wile is a noun—meaning (1) trickery, deception or (2) a disarming or seductive manner — and as a verb meaning to entice or lure. None of these meanings has anything to do with idly passing time, so wile away doesn’t make logical sense. References:
- Grammarist.com While away or wile away?
- Common Errors in the English Language Wile Away, While Away
--AnWulf ... Ferþu Hal! 19:12, 12 January 2012 (UTC)
- @AnWulf: I'm not so sure. It could make logical sense (to lure the time away; compare "beguile the time", which is exactly the same thing. I've added a citation of wile from Charles Dickens, a good and careful writer. Equinox ◑ 02:49, 4 March 2022 (UTC)
- More discussion here (mostly seeming to favour while): [1]. Equinox ◑ 02:54, 4 March 2022 (UTC)