while Copy link • while, while away (v.): Phr.: to w. away the time, the hours, tempus, horas fallere: meantime they w. away the intervening hours with converse, interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas., Ov. M. 8, 652. Fallere is to beguile: perh. to while away should be to wile away: if simply to pass the time, then use tempus terere, degere: v. to pass.