key
noun
a small metal instrument specially cut to fit into a lock and move its bolt.
were 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.
Sputnik and RT were keying off two articles in The New York Times, which broke the news of the Alabama efforts.
From New York Times ● Jan. 14, 2019
I don’t know that it impacted us because we really were keying off the tone of the first movie, but it definitely felt right to us.
From The Verge ● Jul. 9, 2018
What they said to each other lasted only a moment, and all the while the boys were keying like madmen at the jacks to ease the wheel that had crushed the switchman's thigh.
From The Daughter of a Magnate by Frank H. (Frank Hamilton) Spearman
The men swarming through the lower lacework of the trestle were keying up with sledge and rope and wrench, adding a pole here and there.
From The Return of Blue Pete by Luke Allan
