Example sentences of "[was/were] try [to-vb] up [art] " in BNC.
Next page| No | Sentence |
|---|---|
| 1 | Some sailors were trying to put up a small sail , but the wind blew it out of their hands , away across the sea into the night . |
| 2 | ‘ Maybe they were trying to put up a smoke-screen . |
| 3 | Tessa could hear him breathing on the threshold outside for several minutes more , as if he were trying to summon up the courage to return and say something . |
| 4 | The press were trying to build up a great rivalry between Ben and me , especially as I had never raced him . |
| 5 | He jetted out in his role as President of the Council of European Farm Ministers to join EC Agriculture Commission Ray MacSharry and US Agricultural Secretary Edward Madigan who were trying to button up a deal before the transition of the US Presidency . |
| 6 | Erm Richard you were trying to break up a big lump of snow yesterday were n't you ? |
| 7 | A gang of youths threw stones and missiles at officers who were trying to break up the display . |
| 8 | The reaction was to try to speed up the reallocation of those remaining at Barham House ( a process which was unintentionally assisted by the activation of the internment laws ) , to provide the best possible reason for closing the place down . |
| 9 | Another civilian was trying to set up a camera and tripod to photograph the scene and everybody was trying to sidestep the vomit on the carpet . |
| 10 | Having come to terms with the failure of her marriage , she was trying to pick up the broken bits of her pride , glue them together , and get on with her life . |
| 11 | He looked around the shop for Emmanuel , who was trying to pick up an elderly man in a smart business suit . |
| 12 | The Cheltenham MP was trying to take up the cudgels on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council , who face being charge capped for wanting to spend ten million pounds above the Government 's limit . |
| 13 | Her present to Harry was to be a pair of racing binoculars in a fine leather case with his initials stamped on it ; Wendell 's , a handsome cheque , since he was aware that Harry had opened an account at the bank and was trying to build up a reserve of cash . |
| 14 | During that half-hour coffee break Jeff had told her all about Silvia and about how Guido was trying to break up the romance . |
| 15 | She was trying to chat up the boy who was serving . |
| 16 | He was trying to climb up a brick wall , but he 's got a bad leg . |
| 17 | ‘ Pickles ran into some friends and was trying to make up a party to go dancing tonight . |