The agency is also investigating ways to lighten the cost of lofting its fleet of four shuttles, which consume billions of dollars every year.

The program employed 10,000 or more scientists and other workers and consumed billions of dollars in the 1980's, those sources indicate.

But Rover has consumed billions of dollars and brought the German carmaker a seemingly endless stream of problems.

The Empire girded itself for a bloodbath that might consume tens of billions.

It consumed billions of dollars.

It consumed billions of surplus dollars, and it kept everybody working hard, paying their taxes, obedient, and willing to make sacrifices.

They said it consumed billions of dollars in the 1980's, when Iraq was struggling for survival in a war with Iran.

But, with the cost of reunification still consuming billions and with other economic burdens, few Germans believe that it is still the case.

Americans consume billions of pounds of french fries annually, along with chicken nuggets, onion rings, fish and other fried foods.

The aftermath of four violent conflicts has consumed billions of taxpayers' dollars in aid.