smear
verb (used with object)
to spread or daub (an oily, greasy, viscous, or wet substance) on or over something.
had been smearing
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past perfect progressiveof smear.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.
Last month he dismissed U.S. allegations against Wagner, and the Kremlin said Washington had been smearing Wagner without reason for years.
From Reuters ● Feb. 3, 2023
After one of Brandt’s confidants provided a hint—the main ingredient was “somewhat that belong’d to the Body of Man”—Boyle deduced that he and his peers had been smearing themselves with processed urine.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 27, 2019
