nocebant
Nocebant is a Latin verb meaning "they were harming" or "they were injuring." It is the third-person plural imperfect active indicative form of the verb nocēre. This verb describes an ongoing action or state of being in the past.
The root nocēre is related to the English word "noxious," meaning harmful or poisonous. Therefore, "nocebant"
In classical literature, the imperfect tense is often used to set a scene or describe habitual actions.