cédait

In a sentence

• Il cédait toujours sa place aux personnes âgées dans le bus.

  He always gave up his seat to elderly people on the bus.

  The word 'cédait' here is the imperfect tense of the verb 'céder,' meaning 'to yield' or 'give up,' and indicates a habitual action in the past.

• Le pont cédait sous le poids des véhicules lourds.

  The bridge was giving way under the weight of heavy vehicles.

  In this context, 'cédait' describes the bridge starting to collapse or yield under pressure, signifying a physical reaction.

• Lors des négociations, il cédait progressivement sur ses positions.

  During negotiations, he gradually gave ground on his positions.

  Here, 'cédait' refers to a person figuratively yielding or conceding points during a discussion or argument, using 'céder' to imply negotiation dynamics.