were perspiring
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past progressiveof perspire.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
perspireverb (used without object)to secrete a salty, watery fluid from the sweat glands of the skin, especially when very warm as a result of strenuous exertion; sweat.
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.
Last July, while St. Louisans were perspiring through one of their hottest recorded summers, the resourceful Post-Dispatch startled them out of their discomfort by beginning a series of sensational registration fraud exposures.
From Time Magazine Archive
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People were perspiring from the heat, but they were filing down calmly.
From Time Magazine Archive
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But, anyway, the clothes kept us from getting sunburned, and they did help to decrease the rate at which we were perspiring.
From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins
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Both men were perspiring, both were shaken to the core.
From The Winds of Chance by Rex Ellingwood Beach
The tattlers drew closer together and such words as "rogues," "thieves," and "shameless intriguers," ascended to the shutter behind which Pierre and Felicite were perspiring with fear and indignation.
From The Fortune of the Rougons by Ernest Alfred Vizetelly