stain
noun
a discoloration produced by foreign matter having penetrated into or chemically reacted with a material; a spot not easily removed.
had been staining
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past perfect progressiveof stain.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.
Walter," he exclaimed, laying aside the last of the slides which he had been staining and looking at intently through the microscope, "that stuff on the gelatine is entirely harmless.
From The War Terror by Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin) Reeve
