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# meanwhile

«meanwhile» in Mova's school dictionary: **happening: Meanwhile, back at the castle** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adverb; noun (in the meanwhile)

### meaning for a pupil

1) At the same time, while something else is happening: Meanwhile, back at the castle... [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#m1)

2) In the time between two events: the bus is late; meanwhile, let's sit down. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#m2)

3) Used to compare two different things: Sam loves maths; meanwhile, his sister hates it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In stories «Meanwhile,» moves the reader to another place where something is happening at the same time. In everyday life it is about what to do while waiting. In explanations it shows a contrast. Phrases: meanwhile back at..., in the meanwhile.

### examples

- The cake was baking; meanwhile, we washed up. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#x1)
- Meanwhile, back at the farm, the pigs had escaped. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#x2)
- Dinner will be ready soon; meanwhile, lay the table. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#x3)
- Ben ran to get help. Meanwhile, Ella kept the dog calm. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#x4)
- I love winter; meanwhile, my brother can't wait for summer. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#x5)
- The film starts at six; in the meanwhile, let's get popcorn. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#x6)
- The firefighters arrived. Meanwhile, the crowd watched from the street. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#x7)
- The fox meanwhile was enjoying himself mightily. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/#x8)

### note

Often at the start of a sentence, followed by a comma: «Meanwhile, ...». One word. «In the meanwhile» = «in the meantime». Not the same as «while», which joins two clauses: «While I waited, I read».

### In the corpora

- [Meanwhile the others warm their chilly toes by the fire, and the Mole asks each one the names of his little brothers.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/44-willows-ch5-part4-the-carol-and-a-happy-homecoming/6/)
- [Adverbials such as "Later that day", "Meanwhile" and "Nearby" link paragraphs by time and place.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/37-paragraphs-and-cohesion-holding-a-text-together/11/)
- [Kieran, meanwhile, wrote her a note and then lost his nerve and hid it.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/389-boys-who-look-at-maddie-oddly/7/)
- [Meanwhile Ruby, Mia's best friend since Reception, was squashed onto the arm of the sofa by six new kids.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/396-mia-gets-the-newest-console/7/)
- [Alfie, meanwhile, had learned something too: the sound effects.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/403-copying-moves-on-a-little-brother/5/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «meanwhile» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meanwhile/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.