levy
noun
an imposing or collecting, as of a tax, by authority or force.
were levying
-
past progressiveof levy.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.
As pretended Constitutional King and Head of the Nation, he had to behave in public towards these foreign princes as if they were enemies, when it was for his sake that they were levying armies.
From The Peasant and the Prince by Joseph Martin Kronheim
They were levying regular tolls on the rancheros and hacendados when Don Sebastien returned from his schooling.
From The Mystery of The Barranca by Herman Whitaker
From amongst the latter as we passed rose perfect clouds of cockatoos and parrots, screaming discordantly, and making even the dullest observer think of the heavy toll they were levying upon the toiling farmer.
From The Log of a Sea-Waif Being Recollections of the First Four Years of My Sea Life by Frank T. Bullen
We had some expectation of meeting with an adventure, for we heard that several bush-rangers were out, who were levying black-mail on all travellers.
From Peter Biddulph The Story of an Australian Settler by William Henry Giles Kingston
