"The potential damage of the Bass matter was not the absolute dollars, although $20 million is obviously a lot of money," Mr. Lee said.

"I think you can reasonably expect the budget deficit to be substantially smaller than it is today," he said, "both in absolute dollars and as a percentage of national income."

But in most of those cases the city cut spending against projected growth and did not reduce the budget in absolute dollars, as Mr. Giuliani has proposed.

But when the figures are adjusted for inflation, not since World War II have they dropped in absolute dollars, too.

You're asking absolute top dollar for a bike this old.

"The absolute dollars are lower, but you are paying a premium in cost per thousands" of viewers, Mr. Williams said.

Harry Lange presided over the largest drop in assets under management, as a percentage, as well as in absolute dollars, of Magellan.

"At some point the absolute dollars are more important than the bid credits" for companies held by minorities or women, Mr. Blaylock said.

Every President since Harry Truman has added to the national debt expressed in absolute dollars.

That's absolute top dollar in that field.