hwilum

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hwīlum, dative plural of hwīl.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxwiː.lum/, [ˈʍiː.lum]

Adverb

hwīlum

1. sometimes
   • 10th century, Exeter Book Riddle 24‎^[1]:

     Iċ eom wunderliċu wiht, wrǣsne mīne stefne, hwīlum beorce swā hund, hwīlum blǣte swā gāt, hwīlum grǣde swā gōs, hwīlum ġielle swā hafoc,…

     I am a wonderful thing, change my voice, sometimes bark like a hound, sometimes bleat like a goat, sometimes cry like a goose, sometimes yell like a hawk,…

2. once (at some point in the past)
   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     honda ond hēafod, · swā hē hwīlum ǣr
     in ġeārdagum · ġiefstōlas brēac.

     hands and head, like he once before,
     in days of yore, enjoyed gifts of throne.

Descendants

• English: whilom