flash
noun
a brief, sudden burst of bright light.
had been flashing
-
past perfect progressiveof flash.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.
The Mets began August in first place and ended it in third place, out of the playoff picture and apologetic that some of their stars had been flashing thumbs-down gestures to their own fans.
From New York Times ● Sep. 12, 2021
In Mexico City they remembered that when word of his death came, lightning had been flashing in the darkened sky.
From Time Magazine Archive
Lightning had been flashing through the hot city for hours, brighter & brighter, and about the time they got the young man to Sydenham Hospital the thunder crashed and the rain came down.
From Time Magazine Archive
The warning signals had been flashing for weeks.
From Time Magazine Archive
Though the telephone wires had been flashing their news every few minutes, it seemed, indeed, as though the car which they had chased had vanished into space.
From Peter Ruff and the Double Four by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim
