Scheiman called perfunctorily for Mrs McIverney, for a bath to be drawn, and for clothing to be brought, ignoring my (admittedly feeble) protestations that none of this was necessary with a great deal more brusqueness than I should have expected in a mere secretary. ❋ King, Laurie R. (1998)
Although in the final paragraph of its first editorial on the subject, the newspaper perfunctorily expresses its faith in a two-state solution, its spin on these documents over the past week suggests otherwise. ❋ Michael Weiss (2011)
This was back when bomb-wired Peugeots were detonated perfunctorily near Parisian cafes; when the front desk staff at the embassy lobby would helpfully direct a swarthy-looking group of men carrying duffel bags to the elevator that leads up to the OPEC meeting. ❋ Hank Stuever (2010)
He took no part in the conversation, ate perfunctorily, behaved stupidly at times, and it was patent that he was controlling himself with an iron hand. ❋ Unknown (2010)
On the one hand, Peter Markus's Bob, or Man on Boat is a welcome departure from most debut novels in that it is not some form of bildungsroman, or more loosely a disguised memoir, a perfunctorily fictionalized version of the author's youthful experiences (more precisely, of the author's experience of youth). ❋ Unknown (2010)
The receptionist finally found the booking and handed her a card to fill out, which she did quickly, almost perfunctorily. ❋ Colm Tóibín (2011)
“Hi,” said Jessa perfunctorily before tugging once again on her mother. ❋ Dia Reeves (2011)
Peter Jemison improbably likens his perfunctorily painted "Summertime Blues" 2001 to the elegant, intricately decorated rawhide pouches and beaded bags of his ancestors. ❋ Lee Rosenbaum (2011)
And solemnly he embraced me, perfunctorily kissed my lips, gravely examined my tongue, decried my looks and state of health, and sent me to bed with hot stove-lids and a dosage of castor oil. ❋ Unknown (2010)
His client nodded perfunctorily and motioned him on, so Gilliam clicked the map to full zoom. ❋ Unknown (2009)
Instead, a few hours before the bombs flew, the White House perfunctorily informed lawmakers of what it had already decided to do. ❋ Kimberley A. Strassel (2011)
There's no facile psychologizing of characters portrayed as "real people," no faux-dramatic plot points, no perfunctorily inserted dialogue straining to be "believable." ❋ Unknown (2010)
With an appetite that would not have stopped at wire nails dipped in lard, Grief ate perfunctorily, and tossed the scraps to the dog. ❋ Unknown (2010)
And Billikens, very angry, very disgusted, very embarrassed, obeyed, putting his arms around his wife and kissing her neither too perfunctorily nor very long. ❋ Unknown (2010)
Before he passed out, he tried to grope me perfunctorily – almost dutifully – but gave up with apparent and unflattering relief when I brushed him off. ❋ Unknown (2012)
He always smelled of liquor and performed his healing arts perfunctorily. ❋ Unknown (2010)