keen
adjective
finely sharpened, as an edge; so shaped as to cut or pierce substances readily.
were keening
-
past progressiveof keen.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 it seemed to her now that it was not a fist-shaking grief they were keening but rather a simple obligation to say something, do something, feel something about the dead.
From "Sula" by Toni Morrison
He knew now the folk of the air, And his heart was blackened by dread, And he ran to the door of his house; Old women were keening the dead.
From The Haunted Hour An Anthology by Margaret Widdemer
The women were keening somewhere at the back of the house, but the front windows blazed with the light of many candles, and the door of the cabin was wide open.
From The Tragic Bride by Francis Brett Young
So they set out then; and when they got back to Ireland, they found a great gathering of the whole of the men of Connacht that were keening them.
From Gods and Fighting Men by Lady Gregory
Then came up from them the sound of weeping and wailing; the city was full of men mourning and the keepers were keening, and sighs and cries were heard from all sides.
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night β Volume 02 by Sir Richard Francis Burton
