To brighten the room yet block light and the dismal ground-floor view, the students hung colorful ribbons from tension rods.

But by the late 1990's, patrons were complaining that it had too few restrooms, narrow aisles and cramped seats, some with dismal views.

Fowler was looking around at the dismal view and Reacher was following his gaze.

That grim, dismal view was only 120 degrees above absolute zero.

This dismal view paid off for Mr. Salvigsen this quarter.

Historians initially challenged this dismal view of the 1780's early in the 20th century, and it has essentially been dead for at least 50 years.

Kelly walked to the chair by the window and saw her reflection against a dismal view of trees and shrubbery in different shades of darkness.

The living room, with its 12-foot ceilings, has what might be called a dismal view of the rear of old brick buildings along 56th Street.

Mr. Anrig backs his dismal view with a research report, "The Education Reform Decade."

The molecular biologists, meanwhile, are gathering confidence to challenge the dismal view that life span is immutable.