finger
noun
any of the terminal members of the hand, especially one other than the thumb.
had been fingering
-
past perfect progressiveof finger.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.
Ash had been fingering the stem of her goblet, looking at its fine workmanship, when Kaisa asked, “Will you come to the ball?”
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
As for Bilbo Baggins, even while he was making his speech, he had been fingering the golden ring in his pocket: his magic ring that he had kept secret for so many years.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Major Thomson, who had been fingering the Sketch, laid it down the moment the door was closed.
From Kingdom of the Blind by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim
He had been fingering a tassel on the end of the sofa, missing all the play of feeling in her eyes, taking in nothing but the changes that she rang on that one word "gratitude."
From Peter: a novel of which he is not the hero by Francis Hopkinson Smith
In reply the czar only smiled and offered the grand duke a light for the cigarette which he had been fingering in his nervous rage.
From The Story of the Great War, Volume VI (of VIII) History of the European War from Official Sources by Francis J. (Francis Joseph) Reynolds
