1.  Any recount would serve merely to guarantee the veracity of the results, he said.

2.  Any thrust from Capitol Hill that survives the White House gantlet would be used as proof that Clinton is merely a lite clone of the true Dole brew.

3.  Dennis Rivera made the transition Wednesday from being merely powerful to being dangerous to ignore.

4.  Cuban officials countered that they were merely seeking to recoup money that rightfully belongs to the Cuban state.

5.  Culture did not cease in Afghanistan during the reign of the Taliban; it merely went underground.

6.  Cummings was merely the leader for the Bruins, who outrebounded the Huskies 46-29 and grabbed 18 offensive rebounds.

7.  Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

8.  Despite all of the above, most Sox fans and press people believe that Valentin is merely renting the shortstop position until boy wonder Nomar Garciaparra is ready.

9.  Despite all the misinformation to the contrary, it is neither merely a food supplement nor is it innocuous," Moses said.

10.  Des Gunewardena, chief executive of Conran Holdings, was not merely surprised.