chaff
noun
the husks of grains and grasses that are separated during threshing.
had been chaffing
-
past perfect progressiveof chaff.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.
Shirley and I had been chaffing each other about the persistence with which Armitage seemed to follow us.
From The Port of Missing Men by Meredith Nicholson
He had been chaffing with the girls, yet listening to the talk of the elders.
From A Little Girl in Old Detroit by Amanda Minnie Douglas
I thought some one was playing me a trick, and imitating the ghost, for the ladies had been chaffing me a good deal that night; they often do.
From Home Again by George MacDonald
Time for tea at Buckingham Palace?’ for he had won the watch at a singing contest only the night before, and his mates had been chaffing him about it all day.
From Cleek of Scotland Yard Detective Stories by Thomas W. Hanshew
I said in desperation to him, after he had been chaffing me unmercifully on the same subject before a lot of people in the drawing-room one afternoon.
From Dwell Deep or Hilda Thorn's Life Story by Amy Le Feuvre
