I. conjunction
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a good while (= a fairly long time )
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I’d been waiting a good while .
a little while
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He arrived a little while ago.
a little/short while ago
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Tom got a letter from him just a little while ago.
a short while (= a short time )
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For a short while , the city functioned as the region’s capital.
It might be worth...while
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It might be worth your while to talk to the head of department.
see you in a while (= see you soon )
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(every) once in a while
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I only see her every once in a while at school.
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All of these Helen used, displayed, wore, not once in a while, but every day, blushing.
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But look at them once in a while.
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He calls me once in a while or I call him.
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He just comes round once in a while and they go out.
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I do need to see every once in a while.
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I think you should change your shampoo and conditioner once in a while to avoid product build-up.
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I used to take him out fishing once in a while.
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They were both lonely, so why not see each other once in a while.
be worth sb's while (to do/doing sth)
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And finally the Soft Sell - it will always be worth your while to invest in a stout umbrella!
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Controversy really begins when there are varying views as to whether a house is worth saving.
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Dardis assured Bernstein that it would be worth his while to fly down to Miami again.
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However, rather than getting upset about this it spurs her on to try harder to show that they are worth watching.
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I had to make her see that the exercise was worth her while.
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If he! ital! is! off! going to fight, he wants it to be worth his while.
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It could be worth your while.
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The try is to be worth five points while the drop goal will count for two points.
make hay (while the sun shines)
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The tourists won't be here forever, so we'd better make hay while the sun shines.
make it worth sb's while
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I'll make sure they approve your application if you make it worth my while.
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I didn't want to lend Terry my car, but he said he'd make it worth my while.
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The basketball federation in Kuwait offered him a coaching job, and made it worth his while.
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He also has a lucrative five-year contract at Hilton that makes it worth his while to stick around.
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Obviously he would promise to make it worth your while.
strike while the iron is hot
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Don't wait until tomorrow before you tell him, strike while the iron is hot!
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So, it should strike while the iron is hot and go to the country as soon as possible.
when/while sb's back is turned
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Once, despite the age requirement, my sister charms her way on to this ride while my back is turned.
while I'm/you're etc at it
while the going's good
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Let's get out while the going's good.
while you're about it
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Er, he said, while we 're about it, you couldn't lend me your bass as well, could you?
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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While I like Carter personally, I don't think what he's doing is right.
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While Sandy was filling out the forms, I called Jimmy from the airport.
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While she is a likable girl, she can be extremely difficult to work with.
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While she was out of the room, he took a quick look at the papers on her desk.
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While six percent of ordinary homes were damaged in the earthquake, only three percent of mobile homes were damaged.
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While teaching standards could be raised, more funding would also help.
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I'll just make a phone call while you finish the dishes.
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I bought a magazine while I was waiting for the train.
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I read the book while I was on the plane.
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My car was stolen while I was on holiday.
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Someone broke into her house while she was on vacation.
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They were killed while attempting to reach the summit.
II. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
little
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Just sit very still and wait a little while .
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It might take me a little while .
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Concentrating on Emma would help to keep her worries at bay for a little while .
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I now had some helpful connections in Warsaw, even if for only a little while .
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A little while later he gave his horses a rest, and returned to the spot they had refused to pass.
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You finished that first sip of beer, and now it is a little while later.
long
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When the names and numbers were read out it was a long while before we heard the name of Deerhurst.
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For a long while she heard them in silence.
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It was a long while before John got to sleep that night.
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A baby carriage was overturned, and a heavy rain of black ash descended for a long while afterward.
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After a long while , watching the attack and listening to the screeching wood, Tallis had had enough.
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For a long while after that first day, I could not live with the dead woman and her possessions.
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Raynor stared into the fire for a long while .
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I went into her room and waited a long while .
short
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In a short while he found new amusement: walking loudly all over the metal roof, to his own vocal accompaniment.
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Sure enough, in a short while a girl called Mitti turned up.
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I stay for a short while , looking for Philip.
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Granted, he has been in office a short while , and has had much to occupy him.
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I carried it out in the field for a short while .
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My father went mad and I think he actually hated me for a short while .
■ VERB
sit
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She sat for a while , becoming quieter, breathing deeply, ceasing to tremble.
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Let it sit there a while .
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She sat for a while , checking an anguish which made her want to sob.
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We sat for a while , the three of us, as twilight fell.
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If he would like to sit there for a while and learn something, I will then cheerfully give way to him.
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They sat for a while with no other sound than the wind.
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I sat quietly for a while finishing my most recent cup of coffee.
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They sat up a good while , watching the stars swarm along the edge of the veranda roof.
stay
▪
So you are going to stay a while on the globe?
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I can't stay but a little while .
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Dear Friends?: Stay friends for a while longer.
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He stayed outside for a while before being ordered back inside his caravan by the soldiers.
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They both would stay up for a while yet.
take
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It took us a good while to get to the location.
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Traffic was fine through the tunnel, but it still took me a while to get a parking space.
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It took quite a while for him to get back on his bike again.
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It took even Chadwick a while to grasp the beauty of such simplicity.
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It might take a while for the contacts to happen, but they'd happen.
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It took a while for me to make a decision.
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But she knew it would take a while before the immeasurable hunger receded within her.
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It took me a while to realize that Uncle Shim no longer visited.
wait
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But I decided to wait a while before speaking.
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After an erratic and harried greeting, we waited quite a while for some one to initiate contact.
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Just sit very still and wait a little while .
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I went into her room and waited a long while .
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We waited for a while as he shovelled coal and filled his boilers.
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Economists will have to wait a while for how the federal government read Massachusetts' employment situation last month.
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We waited for quite a while .
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(every) once in a while
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I only see her every once in a while at school.
▪
All of these Helen used, displayed, wore, not once in a while, but every day, blushing.
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But look at them once in a while.
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He calls me once in a while or I call him.
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He just comes round once in a while and they go out.
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I do need to see every once in a while.
▪
I think you should change your shampoo and conditioner once in a while to avoid product build-up.
▪
I used to take him out fishing once in a while.
▪
They were both lonely, so why not see each other once in a while.
be worth sb's while (to do/doing sth)
▪
And finally the Soft Sell - it will always be worth your while to invest in a stout umbrella!
▪
Controversy really begins when there are varying views as to whether a house is worth saving.
▪
Dardis assured Bernstein that it would be worth his while to fly down to Miami again.
▪
However, rather than getting upset about this it spurs her on to try harder to show that they are worth watching.
▪
I had to make her see that the exercise was worth her while.
▪
If he! ital! is! off! going to fight, he wants it to be worth his while.
▪
It could be worth your while.
▪
The try is to be worth five points while the drop goal will count for two points.
make it worth sb's while
▪
I'll make sure they approve your application if you make it worth my while.
▪
I didn't want to lend Terry my car, but he said he'd make it worth my while.
▪
The basketball federation in Kuwait offered him a coaching job, and made it worth his while.
▪
He also has a lucrative five-year contract at Hilton that makes it worth his while to stick around.
▪
Obviously he would promise to make it worth your while.
strike while the iron is hot
▪
Don't wait until tomorrow before you tell him, strike while the iron is hot!
▪
So, it should strike while the iron is hot and go to the country as soon as possible.
when/while sb's back is turned
▪
Once, despite the age requirement, my sister charms her way on to this ride while my back is turned.
while I'm/you're etc at it
while you're about it
▪
Er, he said, while we 're about it, you couldn't lend me your bass as well, could you?
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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After a while he got the point that it was permanent.
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After a while we are aware of a deviation, the gravitational pull of an unseen planet.
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But I begged his indulgence to share it with him just a little while longer.
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Jasper and I watched them for a while , and they summoned us, in a friendly way, to join them.
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The industry's hit-men will have to lie quiet, for a while .
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Things might be difficult for a while but I didn't envisage any radical changes.
III. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ NOUN
time
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It's hard to while away the time .
▪
Here are seven dad-tested travel ideas that will help you connect with your kids while having a good time .
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It is a way of whiling away the time , wearing shirts, while staring across the street at the cops.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(every) once in a while
▪
I only see her every once in a while at school.
▪
All of these Helen used, displayed, wore, not once in a while, but every day, blushing.
▪
But look at them once in a while.
▪
He calls me once in a while or I call him.
▪
He just comes round once in a while and they go out.
▪
I do need to see every once in a while.
▪
I think you should change your shampoo and conditioner once in a while to avoid product build-up.
▪
I used to take him out fishing once in a while.
▪
They were both lonely, so why not see each other once in a while.
be worth sb's while (to do/doing sth)
▪
And finally the Soft Sell - it will always be worth your while to invest in a stout umbrella!
▪
Controversy really begins when there are varying views as to whether a house is worth saving.
▪
Dardis assured Bernstein that it would be worth his while to fly down to Miami again.
▪
However, rather than getting upset about this it spurs her on to try harder to show that they are worth watching.
▪
I had to make her see that the exercise was worth her while.
▪
If he! ital! is! off! going to fight, he wants it to be worth his while.
▪
It could be worth your while.
▪
The try is to be worth five points while the drop goal will count for two points.
make hay (while the sun shines)
▪
The tourists won't be here forever, so we'd better make hay while the sun shines.
make it worth sb's while
▪
I'll make sure they approve your application if you make it worth my while.
▪
I didn't want to lend Terry my car, but he said he'd make it worth my while.
▪
The basketball federation in Kuwait offered him a coaching job, and made it worth his while.
▪
He also has a lucrative five-year contract at Hilton that makes it worth his while to stick around.
▪
Obviously he would promise to make it worth your while.
when/while sb's back is turned
▪
Once, despite the age requirement, my sister charms her way on to this ride while my back is turned.
while I'm/you're etc at it
while the going's good
▪
Let's get out while the going's good.
while you're about it
▪
Er, he said, while we 're about it, you couldn't lend me your bass as well, could you?