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whilere. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
whilere, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
whilere in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology
From Middle English whil er, whileere , whilom er (“some while ago or before, formerly”), from Old English hwīle ǣr, hwīlum ǣr,[1] from hwīle (accusative singular of hwīl), hwīlum (“at some time in the past, once; sometimes”) (dative plural of hwīl (“period of time, a while”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest; peace, rest”)) + ǣr (“before”) (ultimately from Proto-Germanic *airiz (“before, earlier”)). The English word is analysable as while + ere.[2]
Pronunciation
Adverb
whilere (not comparable)
- (archaic) A while ago; a time before; formerly, previously.
- Synonyms: erewhile, erstwhile; see also Thesaurus:formerly
- Antonyms: see Thesaurus:currently, Thesaurus:subsequently
1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. , London: [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 28, page 127:VVe met that villen (God from him me bleſſe) / That curſed wight, from whom I ſcapt whyleare, / A man of hell, that cals himſelfe Deſpayre: […]
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 12, column 2:Thou mak'ſt me merry: I am full of pleaſure, / Let vs be iocond. Will you troule the Catch / You taught me but whileare?
c. 1633–1634, John Milton, “Upon the Circumcision”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, , London: Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, , published 1646, →OCLC, page 21:He who with all Heav'ns heraldry whileare / Enter'd the world, now bleeds to give us eaſe; / Alas, how ſoon our ſin / Sore doth begin / His Infancy to ſeaſe!
1808 February 22, Walter Scott, “Introduction to Canto Fifth: To George Ellis, Esq.”, in Marmion; a Tale of Flodden Field, Edinburgh: J Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company, ; London: William Miller, and John Murray, →OCLC, page 234:But who shall teach my harp to gain / A sound of the romantic strain, / Whose Anglo-Norman tones whilere / Could win the Second Henry's ear, / Famed Beauclere called, for that he loved / The minstrel, and his lay approved?
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