worth while

worth while
worth while, worthwhile
The traditional distinction is to use the two-word form predicatively (i.e. after a verb, as in The experiment was worth while) and the one-word form attributively (i.e. before a noun, as in a worthwhile experiment). However, the one-word form is increasingly used in all contexts. Note that the correct use with a following verbal noun is worth, not worth while (It was worth doing / ☒ It was worth while doing).

Modern English usage. 2014.

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  • Worth while — Worth Worth, a. [OE. worth, wur[thorn], AS. weor[eth], wurE; akin to OFries. werth, OS. wer[eth], D. waard, OHG. werd, G. wert, werth, Icel. ver[eth]r, Sw. v[ a]rd, Dan. v[ae]rd, Goth. wa[ i]rps, and perhaps to E. wary. Cf. {Stalwart}, {Ware} an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Worth while — While While, n. [AS. hw[=i]l; akin to OS. hw[=i]l, hw[=i]la, OFries. hw[=i]le, D. wigl, G. weile, OHG. w[=i]la, hw[=i]la, hw[=i]l, Icel. hv[=i]la a bed, hv[=i]ld rest, Sw. hvila, Dan. hvile, Goth. hweila a time, and probably to L. quietus quiet,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • worth-while — worth|while or worth while «WURTH HWYL», adjective. worth time, attention, or effort; having real merit: »He ought to spend his time on some worthwhile reading. SYNONYM(S): valuable, useful. –worth´while´ness, –worth´ while´ness, noun. Usage… …   Useful english dictionary

  • worth|while — or worth while «WURTH HWYL», adjective. worth time, attention, or effort; having real merit: »He ought to spend his time on some worthwhile reading. SYNONYM(S): valuable, useful. –worth´while´ness, –worth´ while´ness, noun. Usage …   Useful english dictionary

  • worth while — ► worth while (or worth one s while) worth the time or effort spent. Main Entry: ↑while …   English terms dictionary

  • worth while — british phrase another way of writing worthwhile Thesaurus: useful and effective and working correctlysynonym Main entry: worth …   Useful english dictionary

  • worth´-while´ness — worth|while or worth while «WURTH HWYL», adjective. worth time, attention, or effort; having real merit: »He ought to spend his time on some worthwhile reading. SYNONYM(S): valuable, useful. –worth´while´ness, –worth´ while´ness, noun. Usage …   Useful english dictionary

  • worth´while´ness — worth|while or worth while «WURTH HWYL», adjective. worth time, attention, or effort; having real merit: »He ought to spend his time on some worthwhile reading. SYNONYM(S): valuable, useful. –worth´while´ness, –worth´ while´ness, noun. Usage …   Useful english dictionary

  • worth while (or worth one's while) — worth the time or effort spent. → while …   English new terms dictionary

  • worth while — worth (your) while of benefit to you. It would be worth your while to see if you can still get tickets to the show. You could make this trip more worth your while if you arranged to see more than one client …   New idioms dictionary

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