glean
verb (used with object)
to gather slowly and laboriously, bit by bit.
had been gleaning
-
past perfect progressiveof glean.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.
In Punjab, where authorities have formed a special investigative unit, officials had been gleaning the details of the case for days in search of clues and answers.
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2022
For nine months they had been gleaning information about North Korean factory removal from stories told by refugees.
From Time Magazine Archive
"You look as if you had been gleaning," said the Professor, as he watched the girls begin to trim their rough straw hats with the gay coquelicots and the bearded ears.
From A Garland for Girls by Louisa May Alcott
