The customs officer in the front seat spoke tersely into his lapel-mounted radio: "We're on our way to the airport with a load of orphans."

The woman spoke tersely into a small communication device attached to her uniform.

He spoke very rapidly and tersely to her in Italian, and returned to his writing.

George Brownlow spoke tersely; he was in no mood to gossip with tradesmen.

Folding his arms across his chest, he spoke tersely to Rennie.

He turned away from the others and spoke tersely into the minimike.

Speaking tersely but vividly, he described the massacre and the plunder of the monastery's treasures.

The officers spoke tersely, moving squads and four-man teams around the station to hunt those few defenders remaining free.

The man in the mask betrayed no impatience, but he spoke tersely.

They heard him dialling and speaking tersely for a moment.