"handwhile" meaning in English

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "handwhile"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English handwhile",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "handhwīl",
        "4": "",
        "5": "an instant"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English handhwīl (“an instant”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hand",
        "3": "while"
      },
      "expansion": "hand + while",
      "name": "compound"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "gmh",
        "2": "hantwile",
        "3": "",
        "4": "handwhile"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German hantwile (“handwhile”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English handwhile, from Old English handhwīl (“an instant”), equivalent to hand + while. Cognate with Middle High German hantwile (“handwhile”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "handwhiles",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "hand-while",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "handwhile (plural handwhiles)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": ", II.17",
          "text": "Yea, mine owne sayings are every hand-while alleadged against my selfe, when God wot I perceive it not."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A little while; a moment, an instant."
      ],
      "id": "en-handwhile-en-noun-6gjISVeY",
      "links": [
        [
          "moment",
          "moment"
        ],
        [
          "instant",
          "instant"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) A little while; a moment, an instant."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "handwhile"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "handwhile"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English handwhile",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "handhwīl",
        "4": "",
        "5": "an instant"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English handhwīl (“an instant”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hand",
        "3": "while"
      },
      "expansion": "hand + while",
      "name": "compound"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "gmh",
        "2": "hantwile",
        "3": "",
        "4": "handwhile"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German hantwile (“handwhile”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English handwhile, from Old English handhwīl (“an instant”), equivalent to hand + while. Cognate with Middle High German hantwile (“handwhile”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "handwhiles",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "hand-while",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "handwhile (plural handwhiles)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English compound terms",
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms derived from Middle English",
        "English terms derived from Old English",
        "English terms inherited from Middle English",
        "English terms inherited from Old English",
        "English terms with obsolete senses",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": ", II.17",
          "text": "Yea, mine owne sayings are every hand-while alleadged against my selfe, when God wot I perceive it not."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A little while; a moment, an instant."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "moment",
          "moment"
        ],
        [
          "instant",
          "instant"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) A little while; a moment, an instant."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "handwhile"
}