After a few more minutes of desultory talk he rose and, pleading an engagement, bade us good afternoon.

We always exchange the usual desultory talk about how work is going and what games we're currently working on, and last night was no exception.

There is desultory talk as one islander spies another and a murmured travel bulletin or two via cellphone to family on the other side.

They made a bit more desultory talk.

There was desultory talk about the relative merits of gins.

The team members made desultory talk on the way back to Riverton.

She stood staring out over the vast expanse of plain and desert, listening to the desultory talk of western men.

He exchanged desultory talk with several of her women.

The desultory talk went on.

All the same, when after half an hour of desultory talk, first Marcia and then Doctor van den Werff got.