colonize
had been colonizing
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past perfect progressiveof colonize.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.
He explained how Candida albicans, an aggressive sugar-eating yeast that had been colonizing my intestines, is a common concern for celiacs, whose tiny, hair-like villi in their intestines have been flattened and damaged by gluten.
From New York Times ● Jul. 20, 2010
France, too, had been colonizing in America, and had drawn her frontier line from the mouth of the Mississippi to Canada.
From A Short History of Spain by Mary Platt Parmele
