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Involuntary in sentence

111 examples of Involuntary in a sentence

The large house with the old family furniture; the old footmen by no means smart, rather shabby, but respectful – evidently former serfs who had remained with their master; the stout, good-natured wife, in a lace cap and Turkish shawl, caressing her pretty granddaughter (a daughter's daughter), the manly young son in the sixth form of the High School, who had just come home and who kissed his father's large hand in greeting; the impressive kindly words and gestures of the host – all this had yesterday awakened Levin's involuntary respect and sympathy.
Another reflector-lamp fixed to the wall illuminated a large full-length portrait of a woman which attracted Levin's involuntary attention.
With an involuntary smile of emotion, Kitty remembered her own husband's shamefacedness after that, and his repeated awkward attempts to approach the subject he had on his mind, and how at length having discovered the only way of helping Dolly without offending her, he suggested to Kitty that she should give her sister her own part of the estate, a device that had not occurred to her.'How can he be an unbeliever with such a heart?
This led to interminable jokes: not a glass or a plate could be put down without precaution; every dish was hailed as a waif escaped from the pillage in a conquered town; and behind this forced gaiety there was a certain fear which betrayed itself in involuntary glances towards the road, as though a band of starvelings were watching the table from outside.
This involuntary confession seemed to strike M. Hennebeau.
It seemed obvious to me that this man didn't understand French, because I made several remarks in a loud voice that were bound to provoke him to some involuntary show of interest had he understood them; but he remained mute and emotionless.
Even today as I write these lines, my sensations are so intense that an involuntary terror sweeps over me, and my lungs still seem short of air!
I squeezed it in an involuntary convulsion.
How could I hide the involuntary horror he inspired in me?
The gleam in his little eyes brightened, followed by an involuntary jerk of the muscles round his mouth.
Rabensteiner, with his stiff demeanour and swinging hands, Kullich, with his blonde hair and deep-set eyes, and Kaminer, with his involuntary grin caused by chronic muscle spasms.
K. made an involuntary shiver, at which the gentleman gave him a gentle, reassuring tap on the back.
The ladies gave an involuntary sigh of relief when they saw me go, and quite brightened up for a moment.
Montmorency gave vent to an involuntary howl, as if merely thinking of the thing had given him the horrors; and Harris said it would be so difficult to get into the boat again, and went back and sorted out his trousers.
"Is this, then, the dwelling of Harvey Birch?" he inquired, in an involuntary manner, apparently checking himself, as he was about to utter more.
The eloquent Pickwick, with one hand gracefully concealed behind his coat tails, and the other waving in air to assist his glowing declamation; his elevated position revealing those tights and gaiters, which, had they clothed an ordinary man, might have passed without observation, but which, when Pickwick clothed them--if we may use the expression--inspired involuntary awe and respect; surrounded by the men who had volunteered to share the perils of his travels, and who were destined to participate in the glories of his discoveries.
A general shout was of course the signal of his having woke up; and his involuntary inquiry of 'What's the matter?' occasioned another, louder than the first, if possible.
The sharp, involuntary glance Jingle had cast at a small piece of raw loin of mutton, which Job had brought in with him, said more of their reduced state than two hours' explanation could have done.
It has been involuntary, and I will not encourage it.
She wanted to hear many particulars of their engagement repeated again, she wanted more clearly to understand what Lucy really felt for Edward, whether there were any sincerity in her declaration of tender regard for him, and she particularly wanted to convince Lucy, by her readiness to enter on the matter again, and her calmness in conversing on it, that she was no otherwise interested in it than as a friend, which she very much feared her involuntary agitation, in their morning discourse, must have left at least doubtful.
His was an involuntary confidence, an irrepressible effusion to a soothing friend--not an application to a parent.
Tarvin buried the tiny hand deep in his engulfing paw, and, pressing it in a grip that made her give an involuntary cry, shook it with a hearty motion.
The queen might be as much injured by too much reticence as by too much confidence; and--let us admit it--the involuntary sentiment which she felt for her young protector decided her to speak.
By an involuntary movement and in spite of the injunction given, d’Artagnan put his horse into a gallop, and in a few strides overtook the carriage; but the window was hermetically closed, the vision had disappeared.
More than once an involuntary trembling seized them when called upon for some unexpected service.
Pardon me, then, a fault which is perhaps great, but which certainly was involuntary."
I began to say to myself that I was exaggerating the importance of the document; that my uncle would surely not believe in it, that he would set it down as a mere puzzle; that if it came to the worst, we should lay violent hands on him and keep him at home if he thought on venturing on the expedition; that, after all, he might himself discover the key of the cipher, and that then I should be clear at the mere expense of my involuntary abstinence.
In vain did I try to detect a smile upon their lips; sometimes by a spasmodic and involuntary contraction of the muscles they seemed to laugh, but they never smiled.
Yet a few involuntary observations confirmed me in my view.
While she spoke, an involuntary glance showed her Darcy, with a heightened complexion, earnestly looking at her, and his sister overcome with confusion, and unable to lift up her eyes.
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