the whole while

the whole while (uncountable)

1. (of duration) Always; constantly, all the time; (for) the complete duration.
   • 1975, The Listener:

     I now realise, after years as a minister, that what I have been the whole while was a sort of semi-socialist. Now I realise that we've got to try to hand back more decisions to the people. When he came into office in 1970, Mr Heath seemed  […]

   • 1999, Carrie Brown, Lamb in Love: A Novel, Algonquin Books, →ISBN, page 193:

     A high hot color has risen into her cheeks. “Mr. Lamb—do you, would you—could you mind him while I take Jeremy to Dr. Faber's?” She says this, Norris thinks, as though he has not been here the whole while, listening to matters develop.

   • 2000, Leo Frankowski, The Fata Morgana, Baen Publishing Enterprises, →ISBN:

     "Anyway, after fifty years, what's a few more months?" "So you've been here the whole while? You never thought of going home?" "Oh, at first I did, but there was really no way to do it. I didn't bring a boat the way you folks did, […] "

   • 2012, Ginny Powers, The Legend of Black Lake, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 103:

     Where had Hans come from? He had on a pair of worn leather shorts and hiking boots. His shirt showed stains of sweat. Maybe he had just wandered by at the right time . . . or maybe he had been here the whole while, watching.

   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:the whole while.