1.   He had a steady paycheck and his ego was being stroked.

2.   It is good, stroking the ego now.

3.   Rodman was too flaky for most coaches, but Jackson loosened the rules and stroked his ego, letting Rodman know how much the team needed him.

4.   Some came to have their egos stroked.

5.   That way, developers would need to sell their proposal to real people and not get what they want simply by stroking the egos of a few well-placed politicians.

6.   They punch this psychological button, or stroke this ego, or kick this butt.

7.   Throughout, Arliss strokes egos in stride, with a technique that mixes wan sighs and Machiavellian manipulation.

8.   Whether to soothe their loneliness, stroke their egos or indulge their fantasies, many of these commuters support mistresses or de facto second wives.

9.   You would think NBA players are beyond such pettiness, but the fact is even millionaires need their egos stroked sometimes.