nurture
verb (used with object)
to feed and protect.
had been nurturing
-
past perfect progressiveof nurture.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.
He also had to deal with the unfortunate spoilage of his prized tare, the fermented, umami-rich sauce that Chiou had been nurturing since the neighborhood restaurant debuted last year.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 18, 2019
Denver, it turned out, had been nurturing its own music.
From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2013
Meanwhile, de Vries had been nurturing an interest in politics, through a group of friends who were supporting Barack Obama's US presidential campaign in 2008.
From Nature ● Jan. 5, 2011
With Nokia’s blessing, he also became a full-time champion of Vertu, a subsidiary he had set in motion in 1998 and had been nurturing ever since.
From New York Times ● Apr. 17, 2010
The universities, with their various nations among the students, had been nurturing grounds for better feeling among men.
From The Century of Columbus by James J. Walsh
