while away

British

verb

(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

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]

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while away

After the latter vote, Trump defended doing so while away from the state but reiterated his broader opposition.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

The dash console sits well forward of the well-padded front seats, creating an airy space in which to while away the miles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

Working his acoustic guitar with a French horn accompaniment — French horns! — he dares us to balance our relentless socioeconomic drive with our deep need to hang out, to while away the hours.

From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026

Any such changes in U.S. accounting rules would be a while away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025

That way she could go on talking at least with Chrissie, and Tommy and I could have some sort of conversation to while away the journey.

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro

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

while away

verb

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