Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Currently taking place.
  • adjective In progress or evolving.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Advance; the act of advancing; progression.
  • noun plural Proceedings; goings-on.
  • Progressing; proceeding; not intermitting.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of going forward; progress; (pl.) affairs; business; current events.
  • adjective Occurring at present; progressing; in progress; continuing; not past, completed, or future.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective continuing, permanent
  • adjective presently or currently happening; being in progress
  • noun Something that is going on; a happening.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective currently happening
  • adjective currently happening

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • I want to take an opportunity to highlight the fact that starting this quarter, we are using non-GAAP rather the phrase ongoing to describe the results of our operations that we feel are relevant for comparing the company's operating performance.

    unknown title 2011

  • Syrian-Americans have also assisted the FBI in what they describe as an ongoing investigation into the actions of the embassy in Washington.

    Syria Threatens Dissidents Around Globe, U.S. Says Jay Solomon 2011

  • An official of the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch HRW said her organization is increasingly concerned and seriously alarmed about what she described as the ongoing murder of unarmed protesters who are demanding reforms in Libya.

    Rights Advocate Warns Massacre Looming in Libya 2011

  • A week ago I flew out over the Gulf with conservation pilot Tom Hutchings and Waterkeeper John Wathen to the Source -- "The Source" is what they call the ongoing oil eruption where BP's Deepwater Horizon platform sank in April and is now spewing tens of thousands of barrels of oil every day.

    David Helvarg: Gulf Oil Disaster: Not War but Cancer 2010

  • Embassies for the United States, Britain, and France have all shut their doors because of what they call ongoing terrorist attacks.

    CNN Transcript Jan 4, 2010 2010

  • Haggard is also opening up about what he calls his ongoing struggles with same-sex attraction.

    CNN Transcript Jan 28, 2009 2009

  • Haggard is also opening up about what he calls his ongoing struggles with same-sex attraction.

    CNN Transcript Jan 28, 2009 2009

  • And also, Israel has said that they're continuing -- the Israeli military continuing with what they call ongoing defensive military activity.

    CNN Transcript Aug 14, 2006 2006

  • Napwa is picketing at Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg against what it terms ongoing discrimination against people living with HIV/Aids by hospitals, clinics, medical centres and surgeries.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2002

  • The CP pledged its support to farmers rising up against what it described as ongoing terrorism focused on soft targets.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1997

Comments

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  • The tutoring project is an ongoing program of the school.

    April 14, 2007

  • Rhymes with either boing or Boeing.

    November 27, 2008

  • Really?

    So you would accept the following as a perfectly rhymed couplet?

    The crowd's confusion was ongoing

    as the ball went "boing! boing! boing!"

    November 28, 2008

  • Yes. Perfect Milliganism.

    November 28, 2008

  • Should I know Milligan and his/her ism?

    November 28, 2008

  • The one and only Sir Spike Milligan, author of the classic 'Silly Verse for Kids'.

    November 28, 2008

  • There are many diseases,

    That strike people's kneeses,

    Scorflufus! is one by name

    It comes from the East

    Packed in bladders of yeast

    So the Chinese must take half the blame.

    There's a case in the files

    Of Sir Barrington-Pyles

    While hunting a fox one day

    Shot up in the air

    And remained hanging there!

    While the hairs on his socks turned grey!

    Aye! Scorflufus had struck!

    At man, beast, and duck.

    And the knees of the world went Bong!

    Some knees went Ping!

    Other knees turned to string

    From Balham to old Hong Kong.

    Should you hold your life dear,

    Then the remedy's clear,

    If you're offered some yeast - don't eat it!

    Turn the offer down flat-

    Don your travelling hat-

    Put an egg in your boot - and beat it!

    November 28, 2008

  • I don't think USAmericans really know abou Spike Milligan (I do remember hearing about him when I lived in Canada, however). For some reason I remembered his name as "Mulligan", which is why I didn't get your meaning.

    Thanks for the poem!

    November 28, 2008

  • Perhaps you can find some 'Goon Show' recordings online. His narration of 'The Ratties' was also superb. Spike lived in Australia for a time so he was quite well-known here.

    November 28, 2008

  • My favourite Milligan poem is The Hipporhinostricow:

    Such a beast is the hipporhinostricow

    How it got so mixed up we'll never know how;

    It sleeps all day, and whistles all night,

    And it wears yellow socks which are far too tight.

    If you laugh at the hipporhinostricow,

    You're bound to get into an awful row;

    The creature is protected you see

    From silly people like you and me.

    November 28, 2008

  • Ooh, I like these poems! I'd heard of Spike Milligan, but only through the Goon Show. Thank you all for enlightening me!

    November 28, 2008

  • It's fun to say ong-oing. Reminds me of Homestar Runner's pronunciation of doing. Can't remember which episode.

    February 24, 2016