rust
noun
the red or orange coating that forms on the surface of iron when exposed to air and moisture, consisting chiefly of ferric hydroxide and ferric oxide formed by oxidation.
were rusting
-
past progressiveof rust.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.
"These coins were rusting and expanding and were capable of pressing the whole column of rock above them, pushing them up," he told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Once the hinges were in place, critics raised concerns about whether they were rusting underground, and whether a physical phenomenon called resonance would break the walls.
From New York Times ● Apr. 1, 2023
A technician from the island mocked them: The engines were rusting from lack of use, he said.
From New York Times ● Oct. 31, 2022
Barrie - a pensioner who lives on Teesside - was told by Guardian Park Homes that his property could collapse because its metal supports were rusting.
From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2017
Oh, I knew you were rusting out in some of these Dutch towns, but I never supposed it was Vienna.
From A Fearful Responsibility and Other Stories by William Dean Howells
