wile
[ wahyl ]
/ waɪl /
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noun
a trick, artifice, or stratagem meant to fool, trap, or entice; device.
wiles, artful or beguiling behavior.
deceitful cunning; trickery.
verb (used with object), wiled, wil·ing.
to beguile, entice, or lure (usually followed by away, from, into, etc.): The music wiled him from his study.
Verb Phrases
wile away, to spend or pass (time), especially in a leisurely or pleasurable fashion: to wile away the long winter nights.
OTHER WORDS FOR wile
QUIZ
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Question 1 of 10
Which of the following words means “to make a crackling sound; crackle”?
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Origin of wile
1125–75; (noun) Middle English; late Old English wil, perhaps <Old Norse vēl artifice, earlier *wihl-
synonym study for wile
1, 2. See trick.
OTHER WORDS FROM wile
outwile, verb (used with object), out·wiled, out·wil·ing.WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH wile
while, wileDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use wile in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for wile
wile
/ (waɪl) /
noun
trickery, cunning, or craftiness
(usually plural) an artful or seductive trick or ploy
verb
(tr) to lure, beguile, or entice
Word Origin for wile
C12: from Old Norse vel craft; probably related to Old French wīle, Old English wīgle magic. See guile
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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