Ferguson writes with his usual verve and takes a few swipes at sacred cows along the way.

Our new stock girl, Natalie, fielded a call from a customer with her usual verve.

He welcomed the task with his usual verve and humour.

One evening he listened as Gayan droned on, and noticed that the knight was not offering the piece with his usual verve.

In relating these developments, Mr. Singer displays his usual verve for storytelling.

He noted that the soldiers carried out their orders readily enough, but without a certain verve usual on newly-conquered planets.

Mr. Collins's secure partnering was matched by the usual verve of his dancing.

The boy's usual verve was gone.

They talked quietly but without their usual verve.

She was able to smile with a trace of her usual verve.