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)