Des"ul*to*ry (?), a. [L.
desultorius, fr. desultor a leaper, fr.
desilire, desultum, to leap down; de +
salire to leap. See Saltation.] 1.
Leaping or skipping about. [Obs.]
I shot at it [a bird], but it was so desultory
that I missed my aim.
Gilbert White.
2. Jumping, or passing, from one thing or
subject to another, without order or rational connection; without
logical sequence; disconnected; immethodical; aimless; as,
desultory minds. Atterbury.
He [Goldsmith] knew nothing accurately; his reading
had been desultory.
Macaulay.
3. Out of course; by the way; as a
digression; not connected with the subject; as, a desultory
remark.
Syn. -- Rambling; roving; immethodical; discursive;
inconstant; unsettled; cursory; slight; hasty; loose.
