wile
wile Lexical Profile
wile Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A devious or cunning stratagem employed in manipulating or persuading someone to do what one wants (usually used in the plural).
"The diplomat relied on all his diplomatic wiles to negotiate a peaceful settlement between the rival factions."
• verb
To pass time pleasantly and leisurely (usually followed by 'away', as a variant of 'while').
"They decided to wile away the rainy afternoon by playing board games by the fireplace."
To lure, entice, or coax someone through charm or cunning.
"The clever merchant managed to wile the hesitant customer into buying the antique clock."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with the homophone 'while'; 'wile' refers to a cunning trick or to lure someone (usually used in the plural 'wiles'), whereas the idiom 'while away the time' properly uses 'while', though 'wile away' has become a common variant.
• Rhymes for wile
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English wile, from late Old English wigle ('divination, sorcery'), likely influenced by Old Norse vél ('trick, craft, fraud') and related to the root of 'guile'.