Then he turned to me and made a ghastly attempt to smile.

The ghastly attempt at ornamentation only serves to make ridiculous what in the severe simplicity of utility might have been forgiven.

She waggled a finger at Marianne in a ghastly attempt at playfulness.

"Oh hello, Siegfried," I said with a ghastly attempt at nonchalance.

"I'm going to ask you just once more to take my dog's temperature," he whispered with a ghastly attempt at a smile.

"Yes; and I verily believe it is my last visit," he answered, with a ghastly attempt at a smile.

Simkin made a ghastly attempt to smile.

Simkin made a ghastly attempt to smile "Word of honour," I said.

For a moment Meredith just stood there, trembling, but then she shook her head with a ghastly attempt at a smile.

There was a ghastly attempt at reassurance in his voice, more terrifying than any attempt to scare him could have been.