while/whilst /wail(st)/ I. conj. 1.当(在)…时候(引出从句，如其主语与主句主语一致，可直接跟分词或介词短语等)：Never get on or off a bus while it is moving. 汽车在运行时不要上下车。  His fingers trembled while doing so. 这样做时他的手指发颤。2.而，当…却(表示对比，cf. whereas)：You like sports, while I’d rather read. 你喜欢体育，而我却喜欢读书。 3.尽管，虽然(表示让步)：［考句］While I admit that there are problems, I don’t think that they cannot be solved. 尽管我承认这里有问题，但我认为这些问题是可以解决的。［考句］While your opinions are worth considering, the committee finds it unwise to place too much importance on them.虽然你的意见值得考虑，但委员会认为过分重视是不明智的。‖II. n. 一段时间，一会儿(与a连用): Just be patient a while, dear. These things take time. 请耐心一会儿，亲爱的，这种事情费时间。all the while 始终，一直（cf. all） after a while 过一会儿：After a while the train stopped at a station. 过了一会儿，火车在车站里停了下来。in a short while 不一会儿：I’ll telephone you in a short while.我一会儿就给你回电话。once in a while 间或，偶尔：They go out together once in a while but not very often. 他们偶尔一块出去，但并不十分经常。 ‖III. vt. (away) 消磨(时间)：We whiled away the afternoon sitting on the beach. 我们坐在海滩上消磨了一个下午。