had been severing

• 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 sever.
  sever

  verb (used with object)

  to separate (a part) from the whole, as by cutting or the like.

Related Words

• abandon
• break off
• dissolve
• put an end to
• separate
• terminate