If you while away the time in a particular way, you spend time in that way, because you are waiting for something else to happen, or because you have nothing else to do.
Miss Bennett whiled away the hours watching old films. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
[Also VERB noun PARTICLE]
See full dictionary entry for while
while away in British English
verb
(tr, adverb)
to pass (time) idly and usually pleasantly
Examples of 'while away' in a sentence
while away
The sort of app you can happily while away any free time with.
The Sun (2013)
The purpose of life is to while away the intervening time as pleasantly as possible.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
How does your cat like to while away the time?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It's just a way to while away the time until you die.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This sort of thing may be all very good in its way: one has to while away the timesomehow.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The women who are fleeing the stresses of the season at a health farm while away their time telling each other the stories of their lives.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They wait up to an hour to get in, and while away the time taking photographs of themselves by the shop windows.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I while away the time by taking the steward's advice to inspect the loos, which she says are all different.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In the modern world, it is easy to dismiss art as a hedonistic and frivolous pursuit, a fun way to while away time on a rainy afternoon.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Chinese translation of 'while away'
while away
vt
消磨 (xiāomó)
⇒ They whiled away the hours telling stories.他们以讲故事消磨时间。 (Tāmen yǐ jiǎng gùshi xiāomó shíjiān.)