pump
noun
an apparatus or machine for raising, driving, exhausting, or compressing fluids or gases by means of a piston, plunger, or set of rotating vanes.
have been pumping
-
present perfect progressiveof pump.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Eni and Repsol have been pumping gas for years from a major deposit offshore and supplying it to PdVSA, Venezuela’s state energy company.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
But as in many places around the world, these farmers have been pumping the water out faster than nature can replenish it.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 25, 2023
This winter, two ground-based generators have been pumping silver iodide into the air for the St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 19, 2023
Meanwhile, groundwater remains unregulated in most rural areas of Arizona, and large farming operations have been pumping heavily, drawing down water levels and leaving homeowners with dry wells.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 26, 2022
If he had not been with us in Cambridge, I might still have been pumping for a like-with-like structure.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
