Hypertext Webster Gateway: "perfunctory"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Perfunctory \Per*func"to*ry\, a. [L. perfunctorius, fr.
perfunctus dispatched, p. p. of perfungi to discharge,
dispatch; per (see {Per}) + fungi to perform. See
{Function}.]
1. Done merely to get rid of a duty; performed mechanically
and as a thing of rote; done in a careless and superficial
manner; characterized by indifference; as, perfunctory
admonitions. --Macaulay.
2. Hence: Mechanical; indifferent; listless; careless.
``Perfunctory in his devotions.'' --Sharp.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
perfunctory
adj 1: hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough; "a
casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the
house's structural flaws"; "a passing glance";
"perfunctory courtesy" [syn: {casual}, {cursory}, {passing(a)}]
2: as a formality only; "a one-candidate pro forma election"
[syn: {pro forma}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.