while away

while away — 片語動詞

  • while awaybase form
  • whiles away3rd person singular
  • whiling away-ing form
  • whiled awaypast simple

1. to spend a period of time doing something enjoyable and relaxing rather than bus

1.片語動詞及物B1
釋義

消磨

悠閒愉快地度過時間

to spend a period of time doing something enjoyable and relaxing rather than busy or productive work

例句

Paloma whiled away the afternoon reading novels in the hammock.

Paloma 躺在吊床上看小說，消磨了一個下午。

while away + [time period] + [activity]

During the train journey, the children whiled away the hours playing cards and telling stories.

在火車上，孩子們靠打牌和說故事消磨了好幾個小時。

while away the hours + [activity]

常見搭配
  • while away the afternoon
  • while away the hours
  • while away the weekend
  • while away the evening
  • while away the morning
  • while away the days
  • while away the time
同義詞
  • kill time

    more casual and suggests waiting with nothing productive happening; 'kill time' does not imply enjoyment

  • pass the time

    neutral and common; similar meaning but slightly less specific about the relaxed quality

  • idle away

    suggests laziness or waste; often has a slightly negative tone unlike the neutral-to-positive 'while away'

反義詞
  • work hard

    direct opposite — productive effort instead of relaxed enjoyment

  • make use of

    implies using time efficiently for a purpose

文法句型

while away + [time period]

while + [time period] + away

用法筆記

Object is always a period of time (afternoon, hours, weekend, morning, evening). The phrasal verb can be either separated ('while the hours away') or kept together ('while away the hours'). Subject is usually a person or people.

常見錯誤

He whiled away his homework.
He whiled away the afternoon doing his homework.
'while away' can only take a period of time as its object, never a task or piece of work.
She whiled away by reading.
She whiled away the evening by reading.
'while away' must be followed by a time-period object; you cannot drop it.
慣用語

while away the time

idiom

to fill a period of waiting or free time with a relaxed activity, often because you have nothing else to do or are waiting for something

打發時間

Bao whiled away the time between flights by browsing the airport bookshop.

With no urgent tasks, Sahil whiled away the time watching boats pass by the harbour.