While the new pilot closely follows Moffat's original script for the "Coupling" debut, the nasty edges of certain jokes have been sanded away and other gags cut out completely.

The spa's construction was still in the final stages of completion when I was there last month - and plenty of imperfections were yet to be sanded away.

But there have been casualties as well - CD transfers of outstanding analog recordings in which the crispness, detail and brilliance of the originals have been "sanded away."

Automatic sealant blew into the perforations, instantly hardened, and was almost as quickly sanded away by the three-sided spine.

Concrete, therefore, should not be painted and the means of its construction should be celebrated - by, for instance, not sanding away marks left by timber shuttering (béton brut).

The scratchings were sanded away and reported to the police.

Before the presidential search committee chose Mr. Summers, his mentor, Robert Rubin, the former treasury secretary, promised that Mr. Summers's reputed rough edges had been sanded away.

This also happens with hand planes: it can be sanded away at the finishing stage.

But the wall hangings were faded and unraveling and there were grease stains on lintel and floor that should be sanded away.

Police also found that the labels had been removed from every piece of clothing she wore, and that her fingerprints had been sanded away.