grind
verb (used with object)
to wear, smooth, or sharpen by abrasion or friction; whet.
was grinding
-
past progressiveof grind.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
While Williams was grinding, her mother, Daveen Williams, was lifting rocks from the fire with a pair of long wooden poles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2025
“I was grinding my gears in terms of my mental health; I was pretty angry all the time. So I thought I’d give it a go.”
From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2025
Fleetwood was grinding last week on the practice putting green at the Renaissance Club during the Scottish Open and if that work pays dividends, the Englishman might make his major breakthrough.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2024
“I was grinding a little bit early on, but held it together, made some key up-and-downs early on and it was nice to finish the round under par.”
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 9, 2024
With hog lard I greased my boots until they were as soft as a hummingbird’s nest I was grinding my ax when Papa came around.
From "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls
