Both proposals have led to false rumors that have fanned fears in recent weeks.

The advertisement succeeds in fanning fears among the elderly about higher premiums.

To those who say he is only fanning fears, Mr. Shelley laughs.

The spurt in prices fanned fears that inflation, which has been below 3 percent for three years, is speeding up.

All the dodging and dissembling about his condition have only fanned fears that he is suffering much more than a bad case of fatigue.

Nonetheless, some consumer groups charge that advertising by some bottled water producers is fanning public fears.

Indeed, the news last week that the gross national product grew at a trivial 0.4 percent in the spring fanned fears that the recovery was sputtering.

But stocks turned sharply lower after an increase in oil prices and a manufacturing report, which indicated high prices, fanned fears of inflation.

Some local police officials around the country complain that the warnings are too vague to be of much use and have only fanned public fears.

Corn prices soared the daily trading limit as long-range weather forecasts fanned fears of drought damage.