give
verb (used with object)
to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation; bestow.
were giving
-
past progressiveof give.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.
Yet the rising cost of supplies and increasing difficulty in obtaining them were giving businesses plenty of headaches.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
Now the mayor's senior advisers were giving him another way he could end the impasse - using a development corporation.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
“We were giving checks to people to pay their rent before federal funds came through,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
“After he died, it became very clear that the story they were giving us was just completely ridiculous,” said That Girl Mom, a former paralegal based in Alabama with around 160,000 followers.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
They were giving her camphor and ammonia to stimulate her and to stop her vomiting.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
