English · Phrasal verb Attested

while away

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To spend (time) idly but pleasantly.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

trôi qua thời gian một cách vô tư nhưng dễ chịu

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Heaven knows what pains the author has been at, what bitter experiences he has endured and what heartache suffered, to give some chance reader a few hours' relaxation or to while away the tedium of a journey.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To elapse, to pass.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Trôi qua, mất đi

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “while away” mean?

To spend (time) idly but pleasantly.

Is “while away” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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