See also: quite, while. A while is a noun phrase made up of two words—the article a and the noun while. If we suppose that there’s no need to analyze what the article here means, we can focus on the noun: while is an unspecified amount of time. A While Definition. Wait-a-while definition at Dictionary.com, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. Definition of quite a while in the Idioms Dictionary. Original question: What does it mean if I call somebody and the phone rings and rings about 10 times and then just quits and drops the call? Look it up now! Another word for a while ago. Find more ways to say a while ago, along with related words, antonyms and example phrases at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. Define for a while. Search a little while before and thousands of other words in English Cobuild dictionary from Reverso. Learn more. In a while definition: You use all the while in order to say that something happens continually or that it... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples It will be quite a while before we get to your parents' house, so why don't you lean your seat back and try to get some sleep? As you can see, the condition inside the while (as in, a number less than or equal to 10) will be executed 10 times before it becomes false. Adv. Some time in the past, as in I ran into Barbara a while back but didn't get her new address , or John wrote me a while ago about his new baby . Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. No voicemail as it just ends. for a while: 1 adv for a short time “the baby was quiet for a while ” Synonyms: awhile quite a while phrase. A clause followed by before, after, when, while or since can be complemented by a nonfinite gerund clause (1) if the reference —person, animal, entity doing the action— remains clear (i.e., the subject of both clauses is the same¹) and (2) if no other important information is lost. Once that happens, the code inside the while … for a while synonyms, for a while pronunciation, for a while translation, English dictionary definition of for a while. What does quite a while expression mean? a while back Also, a while ago . So the noun phrase a while means “a period of time.” Awhile Definition while definition: 1. during the time that, or at the same time as: 2. despite the fact that; although: 3. compared…. No problem, Robert! a while vs. awhile Help me out, o oracle!