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.
was pumping
-
past progressiveof pump.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.
“The adrenaline was pumping, but I was also nervous,” Villareal said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
The Qataris produced mostly gas and U.A.E. was pumping approximately 3.4 million barrels, accounting for just a few percentage points of OPEC’s overall output.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026
Production has fallen nearly 70% since the late 1990s, when the country was pumping more than 3.5 million barrels a day.
From Barron's ● Jan. 3, 2026
Ballad is getting help from Bloomberg Philanthropy, which last year announced it was pumping $250 million into 10 programs in states including Tennessee, Texas and North Carolina to create a high school-to-healthcare pipeline.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2025
Candless glanced back at the Ray, where the crew was pumping seawater onto their burning sails.
From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi
