transpire
verb (used without object)
to occur; happen; take place.
were transpiring
-
past progressiveof transpire.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.
Sometimes it seemed almost indecent: after all, this shadowing and spying were transpiring over a fresh grave.
From Time Magazine Archive
While these events were transpiring in the North Sea the British had not been idle elsewhere.
From The Story of the Great War, Volume IV (of 8) Champagne, Artois, Grodno; Fall of Nish; Caucasus; Mesopotamia; Development of Air Strategy; United States and the War by Francis Trevelyan Miller
While these things were transpiring an event occurred which threatened to arrest all negotiations.
From The Second War with England, Vol. 1 of 2 by Joel Tyler Headley
Through all this commotion Jessie Bain slept on, little realizing the tragic events that were transpiring around her.
From Kidnapped at the Altar or, The Romance of that Saucy Jessie Bain by Laura Jean Libbey
Having traced Yakoob Beg's wars with the Chinese Mahomedans, it is time to consider his rule of Kashgaria proper, and the events that during these years were transpiring in other quarters of the state.
From The Life of Yakoob Beg Athalik Ghazi, and Badaulet; Ameer of Kashgar by Demetrius Charles Boulger
