had been skulking
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past perfect progressiveof skulk.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
skulkverb (used without object)to lie or keep in hiding, as for some evil reason.
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.
Fang, who had been skulking in his basket during the burial, now came padding softly across to them and put his heavy head into Harry’s lap as usual.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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“I need you two as well!” he called to Ron and Hermione, who had been skulking, half concealed, in the doorway of the sitting room.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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"What about my mail-bags?" he recovered himself enough to ask: for it was perfectly plain that the pretentiously intrepid passenger had been skulking all day in the scrub, scared by the terrors of the road.
From Stingaree by Hornung, E. W. (Ernest William)
Of these latter, one who had been skulking beneath the shelter of the New York Theatre fire-escapes strolled idly out toward Joan and addressed her in a whisper of loathly intimacy.
From Joan Thursday by Vance, Louis Joseph
But being out of his element, his heart failed him when he came into the wild wooded country, and he had been skulking behind the trees when Joe espied him.
From Humphrey Bold A Story of the Times of Benbow by Strang, Herbert