Example sentences of "[prep] if [verb] [pron] " in BNC.

  Next page
No Sentence
1 But then he stood , although his hand rested momentarily on my shoulder , as if to reassure me ; to say it did not matter .
2 They shepherded their charges with a cheerful , maternal competence as if to reassure them that the place might look like a prison but was as gently beneficent as a nursing home and that they were only there for their own good .
3 Laidlaw watched Graham until he had disappeared into the house then touched his holstered P220 automatic as if to reassure himself .
4 Even so , he lit the lamp on his desk , put a fresh cigarette in his holder and firmly affixed his monocle — all as if to reassure himself , as if to confirm both his identity and his authority : Colonel Eric R. S. Windsor , DSO , Colonel-in Chief of His Majesty 's 16th Infantry Division , currently stationed in Cambridge Barracks , Cork .
5 She gripped my arms as she hugged me , as if to reassure herself I was n't going to disappear .
6 as if to reassure herself , she coldly analysed his features from under thick gold-brown eyelashes .
7 The sky was heavy with rain-filled clouds which pressed down on the dome of St Paul 's as if to deflate it , and the wharves and warehouses bordering the river cowered like black giants in the smoky gloom .
8 He imagined for a moment that he was still in short pants , until she turned to him and added , ‘ What I mean is , I would have still recognised you , ’ and as if to soften her first statement she added further , ‘ Of course , you 've grown much taller .
9 The Prince smiled , as if to soften his sartorial orders , then gestured at one of his Dutch aides .
10 It is no more than the action of clashing their teeth together as if sinking them into the neck of the prey , in the specialized killing bite of the cat , but it has become a sound signal that many observers have commented on .
11 A translucent figure appeared before him , its three fingered hand outstretched as if to claim him for death .
12 All of them were sitting forward in their seats , as if bracing themselves for a collision .
13 He spoke as if to placate her .
14 She swung her arm as if to hit him , but Johnny caught hold of it and pushed her hand away .
15 His face goes white , then red , and he raises his fist to me as if to hit me , thinks better of it , pushes his nose in the air and his voice down to his boots .
16 as if to say we have come this far ,
17 He made as if to say something , but I just beamed at him and he had to let it go .
18 Jenkins turned as if to say something and Werewolf waved a hand at him .
19 Anyway I 'll , I 'll just finish er telling you this , so Robert 's then sitting back smug with himself and looking at me as if to say what do you think about then , and I 'm thinking I 've heard these words before , where have I heard these words before
20 Once or twice she met Carrie 's eye and smiled as if to say she felt just as she did .
21 She shrugged , not dismissively but as if to say she was helpless .
22 Mindful of the stable-room boiler and the bucket , she gave him a brilliant smile as she stepped down and then she said , ‘ Twenty minutes , Murphy , ’ and he grimaced faintly again , as if to say he knew perfectly well she would be twenty minutes , ladies calling always were .
23 as if to say you ca n't get me now .
24 who was rather sarcastic , sarcastic , I said to her erm , oh you 're still alive then , as if to say you have n't rang me rang you .
25 He was n't good at being specific ; he shook his head as if to say there were so many problems he did n't know where to begin .
26 as if to refute everything that Celia had been thinking , Dr Shalcross suddenly said , ‘ Many women fight shy of motherhood for one reason or another .
27 as if reading her thoughts the Minister leaned forward a little .
28 as if reading her thoughts , Mrs Browning then said , ‘ It is not that I am afraid of dying , you know .
29 as if reading her thoughts , Ricky said , ‘ Better still , we 'll go out . ’
30 as if reading her thoughts , her husband said :
  Next page