abate
verb (used with object)
had been abating
-
past perfect progressiveof abate.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They had been abating slightly; the number of earthquakes per day had diminished and in the last few days we were having only one or two a day or even none.
From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2011
The air was still and heavy, and Dick’s fever, which had been abating, recovered force.
From Brandon of the Engineers by Harold Bindloss
This one evil success gave such a stimulus to Mrs. Gordon's passion that her rage with her keeper, which had been abating a little, blazed up at once as fierce as at first.
From Heather and Snow by George MacDonald
