His secretary, also standing, shrugged helplessly, as if to say, He would not sit down.

Mike thought about that for a second and then shrugged helplessly.

But he could only shrug helplessly and say: 'I don't know.

Michael turned to the doctor for help, but he only shrugged helplessly.

He kept trying for a minute or two, then shrugged helplessly.

He shrugged helplessly and sat down at the table opposite me.

He shrugged helplessly at a loss to explain anything so simple and common.

He started to mumble something, then stopped, looked at her, and shrugged helplessly.

She shrugged helplessly, indicated the main street, the other direction.

But he'd shrug helplessly, and say that she hadn't been on the street when he drove off.