sign
noun
an indication or piece of evidence.
had been signing
-
past perfect progressiveof sign.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.
The candidate had been signing them all day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Smith had been signing trading cards for fans for years, as a veteran announcer for the Burning River and Chicago Outfit roller derby leagues.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 27, 2021
I had been signing baseballs on the street using a pen, a ballpoint, and the Sharpie signature is much more professional.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 13, 2019
He was late to our appointment, because he had been signing off on power-of-attorney forms, in case something happened to him.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 25, 2016
Apparently some of the boys in the group had been signing their names in code when they wrote notes to their friends.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
