economize
verb (used without object)
to practice economy; avoid waste or extravagance.
had been economizing
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past perfect progressiveof economize.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.
But here steps in man, the universal thief of Nature, and turns it into a beautiful flame, regardless of cost, and burns in one evening what his victim had been economizing for so long.
From The History of a Mouthful of Bread And its effect on the organization of men and animals by Jean Macé
There was a smell of delicatessen wares but it was not unpleasing to one who had been economizing in food for so many days.
From Molly Brown of Kentucky by Nell Speed
