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SAT Reading & Writing · Words in Context

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Words in Context

The following text is from Edith Wharton's 1905 novel The House of Mirth. Lily Bart is examining Lawrence Selden's bookshelves. “Suddenly her expression changed from desultory enjoyment to active conjecture, and she turned to Selden with a question.”

As used in the text, what does the word “desultory” most nearly mean?