reap
verb (used with object)
to cut (wheat, rye, etc.) with a sickle or other implement or a machine, as in harvest.
had been reaping
-
past perfect progressiveof reap.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.
Norman Randall, head coach of the Radcliffe Sword fencing club in Nottingham, had been sending five coaches into schools – and clubs had been reaping the benefits, with rising memberships.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 26, 2013
Thanks to Doughty, a lifelong fan, Forest had been reaping the lottery since 1999, when they were facing administration and falling out of the Premier League.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 12, 2012
Meanwhile, Government investigators cracked down on Wall Street's insider traders, who had been reaping outrageous profits at the expense of ordinary investors.
From Time Magazine Archive
Unbeknown to most traders, though, the central bankers were quietly baiting a so-called bear trap, in which they aimed to punish speculators who had been reaping profits by consistently betting on the dollar's downfall.
From Time Magazine Archive
The toilers, sweating as though they had been reaping corn in summer, laboured to open the path to the stagnant sea.
From The Plowshare and the Sword A Tale of Old Quebec by John Trevena
