desultory conversation

  • 1desultory — [des′əl tôr΄ē; ] also [ dez′əl tôr΄ē] adj. [L desultorius < desultor, vaulter < desultus, pp. of desilire, to leap down < de , down, from + salire, to leap: see SALIENT] 1. passing from one thing to another in an aimless way;… …

    English World dictionary

  • 2desultory — ► ADJECTIVE 1) lacking purpose or enthusiasm. 2) going from one thing to another erratically and intermittently: a desultory conversation. DERIVATIVES desultorily adverb. ORIGIN Latin desultorius superficial (literally relating to a vaulter ),… …

    English terms dictionary

  • 3desultory — desultorily, adv. desultoriness, n. /des euhl tawr ee, tohr ee/, adj. 1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation. 2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a… …

    Universalium

  • 4desultory — des•ul•to•ry [[t]ˈdɛs əlˌtɔr i, ˌtoʊr i[/t]] adj. 1) lacking in consistency, method, purpose, or visible order; disconnected: desultory conversation[/ex] 2) digressing from or unconnected with the main subject: a desultory remark[/ex] • Etymology …

    From formal English to slang

  • 5desultory — /ˈdɛsəltri / (say desuhltree), / təri/ (say tuhree), /ˈdɛz / (say dez ) adjective 1. veering about from one thing to another; lacking purpose, method, or enthusiasm: *It was too hot to indulge in any but the most desultory conversation. –miles… …

  • 6conversation — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ brief, short ▪ lengthy, long ▪ We engaged in a long conversation. ▪ endless, pointless …

    Collocations dictionary

  • 7Conversation poems — Samuel Taylor Coleridge portrayed by Washington Allston in 1814 The conversation poems are a group of eight poems composed by Samuel Taylor Coleridge …

    Wikipedia

  • 8desultory — adj. Desultory is used with these nouns: ↑conversation, ↑fashion …

    Collocations dictionary

  • 9desultorily — desultory ► ADJECTIVE 1) lacking purpose or enthusiasm. 2) going from one thing to another erratically and intermittently: a desultory conversation. DERIVATIVES desultorily adverb. ORIGIN Latin desultorius superficial (literally relating to a… …

    English terms dictionary

  • 10Derastus Clapp — (May 1, 1792 – June 1, 1881)[1] was head of the first city detective bureau in the United States,[2] located in Boston, Massachusetts. He was appointed to the office of constable by the elderly Mayor Josiah Quincy in 1828, and was reappointed… …

    Wikipedia