From Friday through Monday he is scheduled to hopscotch across the country in a last-minute bid to tip the closest races to Republicans.

The last-minute all-cash bid from Eni underscores the urgency among energy companies to increase production through consolidation.

The amendment was a last-minute bid to soften the language of Senator Mitchell's bill and win support for it.

But as many as four other groups are expected to file last-minute bids and pay a sign-up fee of $200,000.

Defense attorneys for Bernhard H. Goetz lost a last-minute bid yesterday to delay his trial or have the charges dismissed.

Some online auction systems attempt to discourage sniping (manual or automatic) by automatically extending the auction time if a last-minute bid is placed.

At the moment of a perceived criminal assault, a gun could of course be drawn in a last-minute bid to defuse the situation.

Browning-Ferris said it had won Attwoods of Britain in a $615 million hostile takeover, overcoming a last-minute bid.

In a last-minute bid to sway the decision Raytheon proposed increased European involvement in its programme.

In other words she wasn't going to get the opportunity to make any last-minute bid for escape, Jamie thought bitterly, avoiding looking at him.