desultory

des·ul·to·ry  (dsl-tôr, -tr, dz-)

adj.

1. Having no set plan; haphazard or random. See Synonyms at chance.

2. Moving or jumping from one thing to another; disconnected: a desultory speech.

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[Latin dsultrius, leaping, from dsultor, a leaper, from dsultus, past participle of dsilre, to leap down : d-, de- + salre, to jump; see sel- in Indo-European roots.]

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desul·tori·ly adv.

desul·tori·ness n.

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desultory [ˈdɛsəltərɪ -trɪ]

adj

1. passing or jumping from one thing to another, esp in a fitful way; unmethodical; disconnected

2. occurring in a random or incidental way; haphazard a desultory thought

[from Latin dēsultōrius, relating to one who vaults or jumps, hence superficial, from dēsilīre to jump down, from de- + salīre to jump]

desultorily  adv

desultoriness  n

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

desultory - marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose; jumping from one thing to another; "desultory thoughts"; "the desultory conversation characteristic of cocktail parties" purposeless - not evidencing any purpose or goal

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desultory

adjective random, vague, irregular, loose, rambling, inconsistent, erratic, disconnected, haphazard, cursory, aimless, off and on, fitful, spasmodic, discursive, unsystematic, inconstant, maundering, unmethodical We made some desultory conversation while we waited for the bus.

Translations

desultory [ˈdesəltərɪ] (frm) ADJ [way of working etc] → poco metódico; [applause] → poco entusiasta; [gunfire] → intermitente, esporádico
they made desultory conversation → entablaron sin ganas una conversación

desultory [ˈdɛsəltəri] adj (= not sustained) [reading, conversation] → décousu(e); [effort] → peu soutenu(e); [contact] → irrégulier/ière
in a desultory fashion (= not energetically) → à tout hasard

desultory

adj reading → flüchtig; manner, approach, attempt → halbherzig; firing → vereinzelt, sporadisch; applause → schwach; to have a desultory conversation → eine zwanglose Unterhaltung führen; in (a) desultory fashion → halbherzig

desultory [ˈdɛs/əlt/ərɪ] (frm) adj (conversation) → sconnesso/a; (reading) → disordinato/a; (contact) → saltuario/a, irregolare