Surgical waiting lists were reduced by the simple expedient of striking off all patients awaiting varicose vein operations. [+ of]

采取了将所有等待进行静脉曲张手术的病人从名单上删除的简单做法，这一权宜之计使得外科手术等待名单得以缩减。

The story was a temporary expedient.

这个借口是临时的应急之法。

Governments frequently ignore human rights abuses in other countries if it is politically expedient to do so.

如果在政治上对自己有利，各国政府经常忽视其他国家侵犯人权的行为。