adverb
awhile
uh-WYLE/əˈwaɪl/
For a short or unspecified time.
We rest awhile beside the stream before continuing up the hill.
Etymology
The pieces mean ‘a space of time,’ and the Old English phrase already functioned as ‘for a while.’ The modern adverb preserves that duration without specifying exactly how long it lasts.
In context
Knolles thought awhile. “It is much that you ask,” said he,
More examples
- Stay awhile and tell us about your trip.
- She paused awhile to consider the question.
- The soup needs to cool awhile before we serve it.
Similar words
- briefly
- More clearly specifies a short duration.
- temporarily
- Emphasizes that a state will end rather than its exact length.