were tacking
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past progressiveof tack.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
tacknouna short, sharp-pointed nail, usually with a flat, broad head.
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.
The jib came around and pulled taut, and after a few clockwise spins to tighten with my winch, we were tacking toward our destination.
From Seattle Times ● May 11, 2023
I could tell the tide was moving out because we were tacking slowly south toward Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and the Battery.
From Time Magazine Archive
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“Who? Oh, hello, Gomez,” Miss Trixie said feebly and drifted off toward the ladies’ room as if she were tacking into a gale.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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While we were tacking the hide on the smokehouse wall, I asked Papa if he had noticed any wind blowing that evening.
From "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls
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They were tacking up bunting and wreaths of autumn leaves, but though the designs were her own, and she had been much interested in them, everything about the entertainment had suddenly become a weariness.
From Was It Right to Forgive? A Domestic Romance by Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr