"This is a significant hurdle, because the issuance of any new stock will seriously dilute the value of Bank of New York stock," Irving Bank said.

The merger, therefore, would not seriously dilute competition except in a few selected markets, like rocket launchers, for which there are ample remedies.

But if its melodramatic final moments are ludicrous, they don't seriously dilute the acidity of the sour little swatch of urban sociology that has come before.

The ministry has been struggling to fend off suggestions that an independent oversight agency be created, which would seriously dilute the ministry's considerable power.

Although it is unlikely that trendy designs will seriously dilute the cultural meaning of jewellery, Kenyan fashion designer Anna Trzebinski believes local people will welcome innovation.

But this also seriously diluted the entire purpose of the store-and-forward model, which had been built up specifically to avoid a "long distance" that no longer existed.

The relaionship between attendance and location is obvious, and another few defections would seriously dilute the character of Audubon Terrace.

No matter whether Bell Atlantic issued $45 billion or $55 billion worth of stock for Airtouch, such a deal would seriously dilute Bell Atlantic's future per-share earnings, perhaps by more than 20 percent.

As a parable of fascism and freedom, "Wicked" so overplays its hand that it seriously dilutes its power to disturb.

Today, though, the calamities of the past and the fears for the future did not seriously dilute the promise the day held.