awhile English · revision 15227

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1000}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈwaɪl/, /əˈʍaɪl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|awhile]], [[inh|ang|āne hwīle|t=(for) a while]],^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998)^(Etymonline) the accusative of [[m|ang|ān|t=one]] and [[m|ang|hwīl|t=while]] (see [[one]] and [[while]]),^(Hoad 1986) reduced to a while and written as one word from the 14th century.^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ For a short time: before 1000 in the OED, before the 12th century in Merriam-Webster;^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) the one-word form is from about 1300 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The OED notes that it was often written as one word improperly, where ''while'' is a noun and ''a'' an article, as in ''for awhile'', from 1489.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1000 – āne hwīle.^(OED 1989)^(NODE 1998)

+ * c. 1300 – awhile as one word.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1489 – written together where a while is meant.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # For a short time; [[briefly]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[while]]

+ * [[whilst]]

+ * [[one]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}