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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quhilis, Quhillis, Quhils, (n.,) adv. and conj. Also: quhylis, -ys, -es, quhilys, -es, qwhilis, -es, whiles, whyles, vhylis; quhillys, -ez, quhyllis, qwyllys, whillis, -es, whylles, quhyls, whil(l)s, whyl(l)s, wils. [Early ME, ME and e.m.E. wiles (c1220), hwihles (c1275), whyles, whils (Manning), north. ME quils (Cursor M.), quilis (14th c.), qwhylles (a1400), f. while Quhile adv. in phrases with adv. -es as in Other-quhilis.]

A. quasi-noun. Only in conj. or adv. phrases, usu. without prep.Could appar. be regarded as sing. or pl. (see esp. d below).

a. The quhilis, while, during the time that. = Quhil(l conj. 4, Quhile conj. 2. (In quot. Barb. perh. an instance of c below.) b. The quhilis that, till. = Quhil(l conj. 1, Quhile conj. 1. c. The quhilis, meanwhile. d. (Into) that or thai (tho) quhilis, then. = Quhil(e n. 1 d.a. 1375 Barb. vii 540 (E).
Scho may … se thar conwyn … The quhilis we & our menȝe Cumand owt-throw the wode may be c1400 Troy-bk. i 334.
And hytht [sic in pr.] thame frendschipe endurand The quhylis thai restyt in hys landb. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 64 (A).
& thar salbe ȝemyt with his folowaris … the quhilis that he haf tholyt his iugement [B. qwhil he thole dome]c. 1375 Barb. iii 435.
The king, the quhilis, meryly Red to thaim 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 79.
Quhat dois the quene the quhyles?d. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 7.
Inne-to hys thought haffand that whyles Of tratorye the wycked wyles Of Anthenor and Eneas Ib. 1360 (D).
Thir brethir two … Procured with richt gret cauteles Tham for to kepe in-to tho quhyles c1420 Wynt. v 302 (E²⁾.
In to thai quhillis

B. adv. 1. Sometimes, from time to time. = Quhile adv. 1, Quhilum adv. 1.Freq., with one or more correlatives, as quhile, quhilis, umquhile, etc., linking parallel phrases or clauses.(1) a1400 Leg. S. vii 660.
& thai gerte dalfe thame that war ded Quhylys wald fal done in that sted c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1724.
The Grekes schippes … Throw the fell tempest … dryvand thiddir quhylis and hidder a1500 Henr. Fab. 221 (Ch.).
To tender meit my stomok is ay vsit For quhylis I fair als weill as ony lord 1490 Irland Mir. II 5/24.
This cruell best had power to feicht … and quhilis wincus and ourcum thame Ib. MS fol. 349.
Quhilis a realme is translatit fra a pepil til ane vthire a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 428 (B) (see Quhile adv. A 1). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 433.
As the new mone … Kythis quhilis her cleir face, through cluddis of sable a1538 Abell 4*b.
Cuvites quhilis kennys na kyn na kyndnes a1578 Pitsc. II 103/22.
The oppressioun done to the poore pepill … baitht in Lowthieane and Angus, and quhillis [I. quhylomis] in Fyfe a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xviii 10.
Vhylis 1604-31 Craig ii 97/6.
Hee can perhaps bring thee thy gloue, or whyls Thy kirchiff 1635 Dickson Wr. 72.
Old byganes help whiles, but not always a1700 Mare of Colinton 52/379.(2) 1375 Barb. v 440 (E).
With a few menȝe Quhile ane quhile twa & quhilis thre And umquhill all him allane 1531 Vaus (1531) 2.
Nownes [are] componit … sum tymes of twa hale dictionis, … quhilis of twa corrupt dictiones 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 267. 1600-1610 Melvill 75.
Whom I was verie glad to accompanie, whylls to Sterling, and now and then to his kirk c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxvi 1.
First serve, syne sute, quhiles seme to lichlie luif, Gif thow intend to win thy ladyis grace(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxix 727.
& carpit sammyne, Quhilis of hernyst & quhilis of gammyn c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1714.
That it semed quhilis day quhylis nycht c1420 Ratis R. 1604, 5.
Quhilys pes and prosperyte, Quhilys weir and gret infyrmyte, Of puple 1496 Treas. Acc. I 326.
And with him quhilis xv men, gunnaris, and quhilis xiij men, and quhilis xij men 1535 Stewart 59784, 5, 7. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 356.
Quhylis to, quhylis fra 1570 Sat. P. x 4.
Now heir, now thair, quhylis doun, quhylis up I rais 1580 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 308.
[The Queen] assignit … for the keiping of the castell … particular soumes quhillis les quhillis mair a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 349 (W).
Quhillis [L. Quhyllis] minting, quhillis stinting, My purpose changit oft a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 716. 1600-1610 Melvill 142.
Whylles … whylles 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 96, 97. 16.. Rudiments fol. 15a.
And thire do whiles signifie rest, and whiles motion(4) a1500 Henr. Fab. 193, 194 (Asl.).
For quhilis thai leuch and quhylis for ioye thai grete Quhilis kissit sweit and quhilis in armes plete c1490 Irland Asl. MS 5/18, 20.
And quhylis it [sc. death] cummis sudandlye to the slepand … and quhilis it cummis and gevis bot ane hour or twa of respit 1562-3 Winȝet II 49/31, 2, 3.
Quhylis he insolentlie abuseis the grace of God; quhylis he lippinnis ouermekle to his awin ingyne … quhylis [etc.] a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 872, 3, 4 (W). a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 712.
Quhiles the hawk hes, and whiles he hunger hes

2. Formerly, once. = Quhile adv. 2, Quhilum adv. 2. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii 3.
As Sancte Vincent quhilis dide Thru his pacience a1500 Seven S. 405.
Ther wonnyt quhylis a gentill knycht Ib. 1019, 1617. 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xli 94. c1590 Fowler II 99/28.
As it fell out a litil efter quhils at Vaila

C. conj. 1. Until. = Quhil(l conj. 1.Also quhilis that.Chiefly in early charters.(1) 1389 Montgomery Mem. II 17.
That we sal noch recunyse … the landys … qwyllys we … pay til the forsaid Jon … ix hunder punde 1394 Liber Aberbr. II 43.
And … v marcis sal dwel style in the abbotis hand … quhillys the quer be thekyt 1398 Liber Melros 489.
Qvhillez 1407 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 66.
xl marc … to be payde … ate twa termys of the ȝer … qwyllys we [etc.] 1420 Liber Aberbr. II 53.
Quhilis c1420 Wynt. iii 22 (W).
The king … Had vnder him … The folkis of Israell xviii ȝere Quhillis [R. quhyll] Ayot begouth to steir(2) 1398 Liber Melros 489.
And all the catill … to be distreignede … qvhillez that … payment … be halily … made 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
Fra monet[h til m]oneth … ay qwhiles that al the articles … be fullely refourmyd 1433–4 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. iii 12.

2. While. = Quhil(l conj. 4, in various senses.Also quhils that. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 74 (B).
Qwhilis thai serue thaim thai sal ete wyth thaim at thair burde 1515 Williamson in Doug. (Sm.) I p. xxiii.
Ewyn now wils I vas vrittyng this copy … ther come a post a1570-86 Hudson Maitl. F. clxxxii 4.
And speak thow Iustice quhillis he had thy place Giff [etc.] c1590 Fowler II 193/31.
And whiles the ship was vnloading Arion … played vpon his harp Ib. I 148/2, 4. 1591 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II 161.
Quhils the Erle Bothuel was in Italy his sarks washar sayd [etc.] c1616 Hume Orthog. 2. 1640 Mure II 15/439. 1670–87 Fraser in Sel. Biog. II 327.
Had those creditors fallen then upon me whiles I was yet tender, they [etc.]

b. Without implying duration: At the same time that; when. = Quhil(l conj. 4 d.Common in Fowler.Cf. sense 3 below, to which some of the following examples may properly belong. c1590 Fowler I 94/209.
For whils that thow in havie act thy sadnes did bewray, Thow maid thye flams to publisht be Ib. 120/55.
And whillis we more do think To holde thame fast we leist tham hold Ib. 279/126.
How can I call vpon Thé Lord … Whils then the memorie of my sinne Thy mercyies sal exceid? Ib. 113/41.
Whills Ib. 292/52. 1611 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I 275.
But quhils I passed to my Lord Chancellour to enquyre of your majesties pleasour thairanent, he denyes and miskenis the samen 1622-6 Bisset I 122/28.
Quhairfoir O iudge, feir God the iudge, leist quhillis he iudgeth, thow be condempned

3. In transferred senses of 1 and 2 above with various extra-temporal connotations.

a. With adversative force: Whereas.Cf. Quhil(l conj. 3. a1568 Bann. MS I p. 54/45.
The bramble growis althocht it be obscure Quhillis michty cederis feilis the busteous windis Ib. 47.
Quhylis c1590 Fowler II 139/11.
Beca[u]se the weakest part wald alwyes leane to the strong enmeye whils the other culd not had theme in obedience 1617 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 311.
Ȝour weaponschawe and ȝour fireworkis cost ȝou nothing whilles (I warrant) this snake will newer be worthe the wearie coales ȝou spent in bonfires

b. With conditional force: So long as; provided that.Cf. Quhil(l conj. 5. 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii 108.
Thir vertewis all scho had quhyls scho stude aw Of God eterne c1590 Fowler I 289/25.
Bot quhils that I considder soe theternetie of God, This change dois nothing me amaze Ib. II 148/19, etc. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. iii 57.
Quhillis ȝe ar weill I wish ȝou to be war

D. Na soner … quhils, no sooner … than. — c1590 Fowler II 82/30.
Bot he was na soner in Milan quhils he began to forgett him self