owe
verb (used with object)
to be under obligation to pay or repay.
had been owing
-
past perfect progressiveof owe.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.
Lawrence Godfrey took a good, long look at a television shot of a nearby crowd, hustled out and found his man, collected the $10 that had been owing him for ten years.
From Time Magazine Archive
Mr. Blake was a grocer, to whom ten dollars had been owing for a year.
From The Lights and Shadows of Real Life by T. S. (Timothy Shay) Arthur
Our past tranquillity had been owing to the belief of his death.
From Edgar Huntly or, Memoirs of a Sleep-Walker by Charles Brockden Brown
As Lady George's acquaintance with the Baroness had been owing altogether to Aunt Ju she was now surprised that the German lady should call upon her.
From Is He Popenjoy? by Anthony Trollope
The result of the first war had been owing to the blunders of the French in attacking the English archers with the feudal cavalry.
From A Student's History of England, v. 1 (of 3) From the earliest times to the Death of King Edward VII by Samuel Rawson Gardiner
