It was painful to watch their pitiful efforts.

It was a pitiful effort because from that position, he couldn't seem to rise without the use of his arms which were off now to the elbows.

Nobody but the Guardian readers care about their pitiful efforts.

His fists doubled in a pitiful effort at bravado but he was game.

Falloway made a pitiful effort to thrust forward his narrow chest.

He began to struggle up onto his elbows with a pitiful effort at obedience that nearly broke my heart.

A torrent of mechanical noise drowned out her lungs' pitiful effort.

G-8 watched with sinking heart the pitiful efforts of the bomber pilots to escape their fate.

Just think, if he'd been able to tackle he may not have put in such an inpet, pitiful effort for the Lions that cost a try.

He tried to make his voice lighter, a pitiful effort.