Serviceable

That these tasty morsels come wrapped in serviceable crime plots involving tough guys, gutsy gals, and snappy patter makes the pleasure of devouring them all the sweeter. ❋ Unknown (2005)

The Service stretcher, while soundly built and serviceable, is for this very reason a somewhat cumbrous load even when empty. ❋ John George (1918)

Deborah Kovacs tells a fast-paced story from Catie’s point of view in serviceable prose with some weak spots. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Endgame's fundamental weakness, though, is its script, which could charitably be called serviceable, and which might more accurately be said to take fascinating, complex characters and situations and reduce them to plywood cut-outs. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Under current armor, could the APC still be serviceable, that is protect our troops in Iraq? ❋ Unknown (2004)

Sonnino had pointed out that the Navy and the whole country expected of him that he would alter Italy's unfavourable position on the Adriatic, where from Venice to Taranto she had not one serviceable harbour, that is to say serviceable war-harbour. ❋ Henry Baerlein (1917)

"A musket, lad, and fifty-and-five others in the corner yonder and all serviceable, which is well." ❋ Jeffery Farnol (1915)

By real politeness I mean softness of temper, and a sincere inclination to oblige and be serviceable, which is very conspicuous in this nation, not only among the high, but low; in so much that the porters and coachmen here are civil, and that, not only to gentlemen, but likewise among themselves. ' ❋ Boswell, James, 1740-1795 (1887)

"No, they can hardly be called serviceable," the master agreed. ❋ Unknown (1867)

After all, if "serviceable" vehicles today are decommissioned for lack of parts due to the cash for clunkers program, isn't that covert stimulus, even if it comes at the expense of used-parts salvagers? ❋ Unknown (2010)

Tight white tee shirt, blue jeans and some kind of serviceable jacket -- he was holding a plastic box filled with fish he and my summer-job boss and her husband had just caught. ❋ Unknown (2008)

Mostly, I suppose what bothers me is his attempt to use complex references and convoluted writing to put forward the idea that "serviceable" prose style is superior to a more distinctive and accomplished style because it is somehow closer to "the truth", when "the truth" turns out to be a shopworn, doctrinaire ideology that any 19-year-old in a college socialist club could spout with more subtlety. ❋ Unknown (2006)

I have two goals - the first to become "serviceable" and the second to be what I call truly fluent -- able to discuss ideas, literature, subtleties of culture and art. ❋ Unknown (2004)

It is impossible to tell whether Webster would have found the style of Massinger more "serviceable" than his own for the last act of the White Devil, and indeed difficult to decide what "serviceable" here means; but it is quite clear what Coleridge means when he says that Massinger's style is much more easily constructed [than Shakespeare's], and may be more successfully adopted by writers in the present day. ❋ Thomas Stearns (1920)

He was dressed in a ragged red sweater, wrecked and weather-worn golf cap, run-over shoes, and trousers of the "serviceable" brand. ❋ O. Henry (1886)

There is no lack of the right kind of serviceable men at Deal, and if they are promised a substantial interest in smuggling our lading ashore, they will run the goods successfully, do not fear. ❋ Unknown (1877)

Two first round picks/a third and a "serviceable" to "below average" QB for Cutler and a fifth. ❋ Mrzuki (2010)

The pair were rated by coach Brett Ratten as only "serviceable" for the Northern Bullants at the weekend, hardly a ringing endorsement. ❋ Unknown (2010)

It was also mentioned that the A/T is "serviceable", meaning that a faulty component can be replaced, rather than chucking the whole unit away. ❋ Danny Tan (2010)