extinguish
verb (used with object)
to put out (a fire, light, etc.); put out the flame of (something burning or lighted).
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fire crews at Huntington Lake had been extinguishing small spot fires and had hoped to have three bulldozers cutting breaks along the north shore of the lake, said Donnelly, the volunteer fire chief.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2020