"Sit down, gentlemen," he addressed us in a stern but friendly manner.

It was only near the end that things picked up, perhaps a result of Last's stern manner; there were 13 firsts in 1955.

The police officer, after a brief attempt at a stern manner, relented.

Cardinal recalled the young woman's brisk manner, the way she had handled his father, stern but friendly.

But there was a hint of kindliness in her stern manner now and I began to look forward to these sessions with her.

She looked directly at George in her sternest manner.

He was a man of strong prejudices and shrewd observer with a stern manner abroad.

In the past she had noted that Sam was rather irritated by her stern manner.

A light smile, so much in contrast to Jared's stern manner, played around her face.

The secretary dropped his eyebrows in that stern manner to make Horace brace himself.