fitful

You could see the eroded gaps when someone underbought a book and it sold out, selling in fitful gaps whenever a stock-starved store managed to get their hands on a few copies.

When "I've Heard Of Them!" Becomes "They've Heard Of Me!" 2006

They only way they could sleep now, in short fitful frames, pressed to one another, crying, wearing themselves into broken, empty dreams of exhaustion.

Archive 2006-09-03 Miss Snark 2006

But slower and slower grew her flight; strength at last was failing, for it had been too severely tried; her breath came quick and fast, in short, fitful gasps, and her heart beat heavily beneath her quivering breast.

Parables from Flowers Gertrude P. Dyer

All night it blew in short fitful puffs, heeling the great cog over until the water curled over her lee bulwarks.

The White Company Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir, 1859-1930 1902

All night it blew in short fitful puffs, heeling the great cog over until the water curled over her lee bulwarks.

The White Company Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir, 1859-1930 1902

All night it blew in short fitful puffs, heeling the great cog over until the water curled over her lee bulwarks.

The White Company Arthur Conan Doyle 1894

Were there in the wide world of varying forms and faces a form and a face so much unlike his own as were those of the man who walked, nay, jerked along, in short, fitful paces, by his side?

The Shadow of a Crime A Cumbrian Romance Hall Caine 1892

He walked to and fro in short, fitful steps, crying that there was no help, no help.

The Shadow of a Crime A Cumbrian Romance Hall Caine 1892

All night it blew in short fitful puffs, heeling the great cog over until the water curled over her lee bulwarks.

The White Company 1890

The hungry cry of the beast of prey, or the fierce deed of savage man, whoop and dance, triumph and torture, broke in fitful bursts upon the deep silence, and then died away, leaving the breath of life to rise and fall with the passing winds.

Rural Hours 1887