key
noun
a small metal instrument specially cut to fit into a lock and move its bolt.
was keying
-
past progressiveof key.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.
But Soto told Martinez they weren’t in the exact spot he was keying on.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 18, 2021
He took his blinkers off, suspecting that tunneling his vision straight ahead was keying the colt up and making him tougher for Gomez to handle.
From New York Times ● May 1, 2010
Inwardly she was keying taut the strings of her self-possession.
From The Transgression of Andrew Vane a novel by Guy Wetmore Carryl
While he was keying up his violin, Gyp's conduct in never having come there for so long struck him as bitterly unjust.
From Beyond by John Galsworthy
Formerly, the production staff was keying in the articles, and not the editorial staff.
From A Short History of EBooks by Marie Lebert
