Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Lewis and Clark expedition had wintered there six years before; they are celebrated because they were first and because they were successful.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 6, 2014
One day it trudged into steepled Capua, where Hannibal and his Carthaginians had wintered after slaughtering the Romans at Cannae.
From Time Magazine Archive
In addition, the main army of the patriots had wintered for several years among its mountains, and drawn upon it for supplies until the state was all but beggared.
From Peggy Owen and Liberty by Lucy Foster Madison
In one case I marked the spot, and returned there in early spring to see how the frog had wintered.
From Ways of Nature by John Burroughs
The team had wintered well and weighed 3400 pounds.
From Jimmie Moore of Bucktown by Melvin Earnest Trotter
