shovel
noun
an implement consisting of a broad blade or scoop attached to a long handle, used for taking up, removing, or throwing loose matter, as earth, snow, or coal.
had been shoveling
-
past perfect progressiveof shovel.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 had been shoveling snow at his mother’s house when he felt his back go out.
From New York Times ● Jul. 31, 2016
All day long, he had been shoveling snow in the streets.
From "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl
Some of the drifts were higher than a man, but the stewards had been shoveling all day and the paths were as clean as they were like to get.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
He was still clad in blue jean freely smeared with the red soil that he had been shoveling in the hold, and his face and hands were grimy and damp with perspiration.
From Thrice Armed by Harold Bindloss
After a night scrambling around the hills, Tom looked as if he had been shoveling coal.
From The Space Pioneers by Louis Glanzman
