had been jawboning

• past perfect progressive

  past perfect progressive

  Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.

  of jawbone.
  jawbone

  noun

  a bone of either jaw; a maxilla or mandible.

Related Words

• admonish
• berate
• castigate
• censure
• chide
• go after
• oppose
• reprimand
• reproach
• scold
• upbraid