rule
noun
a principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement, etc..
had been ruling
-
past perfect progressiveof rule.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.
After independence from British colonial rule in 1957, the order of rotation among the sultans was determined by seniority, based on how long they had been ruling.
From Reuters ● Oct. 26, 2023
He had been ruling by decree for more than a year after the country failed to hold legislative elections.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 22, 2021
But disputes meant that elections scheduled for October 2019 did not take place - and Mr Moïse had been ruling by decree amid widespread protests.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2021
Parliamentary elections should have been held in October 2019 but disputes delayed them, meaning Mr Moïse had been ruling by decree.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2021
He knew the Briggs girls and the Snowe girls, and all the parvenu people who had been ruling at assemblies and dancing-classes during the dark interregnum.
From The Adventures of a Widow A Novel by Fawcett, Edgar
