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Synonyms

while away

British  

verb

  1. (tr, adverb) to pass (time) idly and usually pleasantly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
while away Idioms  

  1. Spend time idly or pleasantly, as in It was a beautiful day and we whiled away the hours in the garden. This expression is the only surviving use of the verb while, meaning “to spend time.” [First half of 1600s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I covered City against Leeds on Saturday and they got lucky, while away from home they have lost three times already.

From BBC

As luck has it, there is a gelato joint next door and so we continue his lead, sit on the terrace, people-watch and while away and enjoy lemon sorbet.

From Salon

He added, “This is a little while away from becoming commonplace.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Such is the life of a modern player, hopping from one hobby to another while away from the day job.

From BBC

She lives alone, and whiles away the time watching cute animal videos on her phone as she lies on the floor.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.