tug
verb (used with object)
to pull at with force, vigor, or effort.
had been tugging
-
past perfect progressiveof tug.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.
Medals were pinned to racing suits, and immaculate military uniforms appeared from out of nowhere and were pulled into place by the same hands that had been tugging on racing harnesses only minutes before.
From New York Times ● Dec. 12, 2021
My belly was deflated, my body sawn in half, and yet the baby that had been tugging at me from the inside was not in my arms.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 9, 2019
The same something that had been tugging at me ever since I’d seen Salzburg standing inside the mountain.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry’s bathrobe for the last minute.
From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling
The fact had been tugging at my conscience for the last two hours.
From The Right Stuff Some Episodes in the Career of a North Briton by Ian Hay
