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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
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Quhil(e, Quhill(e, n. Also: quhyle; quhyll(e; qwhil(e, qwhill(e, qwhyle, qwhylle, qwyl; while, whill, whyle, whyll; vhyle; wile; quhyill, whyill; quheill, wheille; vhayll; quhiule. [ME and e.m.E. while (Orm), (h)wile (a 1250), ȝwyle (c 1290), quil(l(e (Cursor M.), whyle (Manning), whil (c 1383), whill (c 1425), w(h)yll (c 1450), qwhiel (1435), whyell (a 1533), OE hwíl.]

1. Chiefly with indef. art.: A particular length or period of time. b. Esp. in later use, freq. = a (fairly) short time.Common in adv. phrases, freq. with adj. of duration (as gude, lang, schort, etc.), sometimes with omission of article.In, also within, into (a or ane) (schort, also litill and bony s.v. Bony adj. 2) quhile, during a short space of time; also, shortly (afterwards), cf. below.Of a great uhayll, for a long time.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 7722.
Quhen luffaris … haue laser thame allane, … bot ane quhyle mais ane day c1420 Wynt. viii 1761.
And enpresowneys in swilk qwhille To kepe is dowt and gret peryle a1578 Pitsc. I 153/19.
And efter ane lytill quhyll the Homes gadderit a1681 Welsh a1681 Churches Paradox 4.
For one day; that is but a wie while — 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 150.
After a whiles discourse and drawing up acquaintance, the earl brought Lovat to his own house(2) 1375 Barb. xx 332 (E).
And eftre in a litill quhill Thar hors to land thai drew a1400 Leg. S. xiii 44.
Richt mony in lytil quhyle He wane to God c1400 Troy-bk. ii 3114.
Syne to exile He was condampned in-to schort quhile a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 517.
Within ane quhyle he changit mony hew a1500 K. Hart 857.
Within ane quhyle the castell all about He seigit fast c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) xxxix 61.
It micht have cuming in schortar quhyll [: yle] 1535 Stewart 6632.
Thai lost Within schort quhile the thrid part of thair oist 1567 G. Ball. 215. 1596 Dalr. I 328/5.
Within a schorte quhyle eftir King Dauid gaue [etc.] Ib. 215/34. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii 218.
Within a pretie vhyle(b) 1591 St. A. Kirk S. 714.
Quheill(3) a1400 Leg. S. iii 123.
And thocht I lefit for a quhile, I turne agane to that sine [MS sone] wyle a1500 K. Hart 494.
Len me thy cloke to gys me for ane quhyle 1513 Doug. iv iv 29. 15.. Clar. ii 1767.
All eardlie joy for ane quhile dois bot lest 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 49. 1584 Colville Lett. 61.
Tharfor it is thocht best heir that the matter suld rest for a quhyill 1596 Dalr. I 77/13.(b) 1608 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 133.
To pairt frome this cuntrie for ane quheill(c) a1578 Pitsc. II 48/18.
Quhill(4) 1657 Wemyss Corr. 102.
I haue of a great uhayll bein intending to meack a boulin-grin

c. In adv. phrases without prep., sometimes with omission of article. (All) (a or ane) … quhile, for a (long, short, etc., as specified) time. = (2) above.No quhile, never.Also, when pre- or post-modifier of an adv., or adv. phr., of time: A (short or long) time (before or after), cf. (2) above.See also Lang quhile adv. phr. and Lang quhill syne adv. phr.(1) 1375 Barb. i 326.
That he wald … a quhile in Parys be Ib. vii 494.
In Glentrwell all a quhile he lay a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1363.
Wile ?1438 Alex. ii 3553.
That all ane quhyle be sho not hale c1420 Wynt. vii 1889.
The byschapryk … Interdytyt than a qwhyle The land a1500 Henr. Age & Yowth 34 (Makc.).
At luffis law I think a quhil to leit a1500 Quare Jel. 57.
Sche wepit so a quhile till [etc.] 1513 Doug. ix Prol. 32.
Sen we mon carp of vassalage a quhile [: stile] 1533 Boece 181. a1568 Bann. MS 77a/29.
Gud is bot lent ane quhyle quhill thow art heir 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 929.
Sayand, he wald ride furth a whyle [: beguyle] 1596–7 R. Bruce in Calderwood V 562.
I remained awhile in my hous a1605 Montg. Misc. P. viii 26.
Vhyle 1655 Dunkeld Presb. II 421.
Quhil — 1456 Hay I 132/21.
Be resoun gif I oursytt ony quhile(b) c1420 Wynt. i 68.
Fra this I turne my style Off mankynde for to carpe a quhylle Ib. vi 1166.
Byd a qwhille [C. aqwhile] Ib. viii 6389.
All a qwhille [C. al a qwhil, W. a gret quhile] thare wyth hym he lay c1420 Ratis R. 665.
Fore bewte lestis bot a quhill [: ill] a1500 Henr. Robene & M. 61 (Bann.).
Talk ane quhill [: begyle] 1558-66 Knox I 220.
Thei schote fracklie a whill 1600-1610 Melvill 168.
Whyll(c) a1585 Arbuthnot Maitl. Q. xxxvii 94.
Quhyill c1590 Fowler I 395/5.
Whyill(2) 1375 Barb. i 171.
He was king bot a litill quhile [: ghyle] Ib. ii 8.
A weill gret quhile Ib. 554.
A gud quhile thar he soiournyt then c1420 Wynt. viii 6624.
A lang qwhille [C. qwhil] 1456 Hay II 144/15.
And slepe … a gude lang quhile c1515 Asl. MS I 226/10.
And it was haldin fra the king a litill quhile 1531 Vaus (1566).
Byd me ane lytill quhyll 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I 48*.
Ane guid quhile 1622-6 Bisset I 288/34.
Eftir that he haif pawsed a bony quhyle(3) 1375 Barb. iii 478.
Thai … huntyt lang quhill off the day a1400 Leg. S. xviii 955.
& leste gud quhyle vald that clernes c1420 Wynt. iv Prol. 6.
A garland … gottyn wyth gret peryle Grene suld lestand be lang quhile 1456 Hay I 197/19.
This mortale lyf … that sa schort quhile lestis a1500 Seven S. 1286.
Or ellis schort quhile sall ȝe haf ȝour lyf c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 174. 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 231.
Quhou schort quhile [1553 quhiule] doith hys fals plesance remane 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 213.(4) 1513 Doug. vii x 25.
Nor Ianus … Was no quhile furth of this ilk hallowit hald(5) 1375 Barb. x 213 (E).
& all a quhile before the day He had thaim helyt a1400 Leg. S. xxi 183.
The quhilkis eftyre a quhile sene Lewit hyme ?1438 Alex. ii 5150.
Ane weill quhyle gane c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 321.
Frathine ane littill quhile he come to Spanȝe 1535 Stewart 42106.
Bot schort quhile gane by 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. iv 1.
Iamdudum: a guid quhyll syne a1578 Pitsc. I 60/12.
For schort quhill efter … thai war wairdit againe a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 535.
It is short while seen the louse boore the langelt 1654 Lamont Diary 75.
[He] hath beine a wheille passed in the English seruice 1661 Black Sc. Witches 43.
A prettie whyle efter

d. With def. art. or demonstr., also possess. adj. or noun.In (also into, intill) that or this quhile, during the period specified; in the meantime. Also, (all) that, this or the quhile (the instances of that quhile may properly belong to 3 below).This quhile (past, bygane, etc.), during the recent past (including the present).See also Mene quhile n. and adv.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 575.
The quhyle is wele lang sen I rade c1420 Wynt. viii 6310.
The fell qwhille [C. qwhil] that thai had Sa dowtand than thare hartis made 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii 28.
With myrrie mowis passing the quhyle c1610 Melville Mem. 327.
During this little whyll of faire wether(2) a1400 Leg. S. xlii 7.
Quincyane in that quhile Ves consol[ar] of Cesile c1420 Wynt. iv 1377.
Thai off Cartage in this quhille [C. in that qwhile] Have tretyde walde wytht this Attyle Ib. 1908.
The fyre that tyme off Ethna … Brwstyd owt in to that quhille [W. in that samyn quhill] Ib. v 302.
In till that quhille [E.² in to thai quhillis] Ib. vi 1279.
It hapnyd in that qwhille, Wyth a prest in till his way He ete 1535 Stewart 41939.
Ane storme … Quhilk draif the king wnto ane litill ile Within the se, in that menetyme and quhile Ib. 49883.
Into the samin quhile [: myle](3) 1375 Barb. vi 90.
And ay the langer quhill he wes thair He herd it ner and ner cumand c1420 Wynt. vi 785 (W).
This bischop … gert a textuere be maid that quhile [R. in that qwhylle] c1420 Wynt. viii 2456.
Sum … durst noucht hys lauch byd that quhille Ib. 6305.
Yhit the Ballioll all that qwhill In Gallwa wes 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 34.
Howbeit all this quhyle thai keipit clois the Papis Bull Ib. 63.
Quhat did his excellent gude wyfe the quhyle? a1585 Maitl. Q. xciv 3.
Induiring cauld and hounger all that quhyle 1600-1610 Melvill 485.
He remeanit in the town all the whyll 1676 Fraser in Sel. Biog. II 90.
Yet the Lord was doing me good all the while(4) a1500 Henr. Robene & M. 59.
I haif bene heir this quhyle a1500 K. Hart 554.
This quhyle bygane thow has bene all to glaid 1559 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 63.
Other na that wreting I gat naine fra you this gryt quhyill c1590 Fowler I 81/124.
It better for your soules had bene to liwed with breid this whyle 1594 Colville Lett. 113.
Bothvell hes lyin this whyill at Edinburgh 1614 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 170. 1617 Old Kirk Chron. 36.
This guid quhill bygaine 1643 Misc. Spald. C. I 16.
The late rigidnes that hath been this whill past excersized c1650 Spalding I 198.
The king all this while is lying at Newcastell 1676 Fraser in Sel. Biog. II 242.(5) c1400 Troy-bk. i 593.
Scho wes Mast perfyt in astronomye … Of all that lyffyt in hyr quhill [: subtill] c1420 Wynt. viii 705.
Quhy suld hys name be all wndone That wes famows in his quhille? — c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) l 38.
In Mayis lusty quhyle

e. The quhyle (that), while. = Quhil(l conj.; cf. Quhilis n. a.Also (once), till. = Quhil(l conj. 1.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 10119.
The quhyle that Dam Fesonas Sic speke of douchty Porrus mais, He [etc.] 1513 Doug. i i 53.
Iuno inflambit musyng on thir casis nyce The quhile our sey that salit the Troianys 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 361.
For drink allowit upon thame the quhyle they wer at the querell a1650 Row 299.
The bishop … satt upon his knees all the whyle the king was reading it(2) 1393–4 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 29.
To hald … tha said landys … to the fore nemnyt Colyn … the qwyl that I … pay … xxv marc to the said Colyn

2. (A person's) office or ‘place’ [cf. late ME while = period of office (c 1449)]. a1400 Leg. S. xii 319.
Spedful thinge vare & gud That we stablyste ane in the place The quhyle to supple of Iudas [L. ut aliquem loco Judæ substituamus] Ib. 351.

3. A point of time; an occasion.See the note to 1 d above.In the adv. phrases a nothyr (ane othir) quhile, at another time, and in a (na) quhile, at one (no) time.See also Sumquhile adv. 1375 Barb. xiii 634 (E).
Fortoun … will … prik on him syne a nothyr quhill [C. ane othir quhile] — c1420 Wynt. v 2251.
That men mycht newyre … In na sted na in na quhylle Ger hym … lauch na smyle c1420 Wynt. vi 2163 (C).
God of the dewil said in a qwhyle [R. in quhille, Au., E.² wmquhile] [etc.]

b. In exclamations of grief or regret. c1475 Wall. ix 88.
That I him saw euyr waryt worth that quhill! 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 263.
Allace the quhile thou knew the strange Ene! Ib. x 53. 1571 Sat. P. xxviii 15.
Allace and waryit be the quhyle That I was borne! a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxi 25.