The television previews for these new distractions signaled that the O.J. news might be over, its effervescence draining downward in a great sucking sound of tumbling talking heads.

If southerners cannot put a stop to the great sucking sound to the north, many would like to see an international boundary between them and the capital.

In Ross Perot's words, that great sucking sound was the Torricelli staff kissing up to Mr. Imus.

Mr. Bush concluded with a reference to Ross Perot: "There is no 'sucking sound' of jobs moving out of the United States."

"The great sucking sound from the south is creating a storm of troubles," Eric Reguly, a columnist, warned in a recent Globe and Mail article titled "The devouring of corporate Canada."

Mexico recovered after its financial crisis of 1994 because of that great sucking sound to the north - the United States economy buying Mexican goods.

A. When the holiday bingeing season officially ends on Thursday, listen closely and you'll hear a great sucking sound, as countless Americans rush from their La-Z-Boys to health clubs and fitness spas.

That great sucking sound you hear is your child swooshing into the hand-puppet section and refusing to leave.

Koryon, standing presumably out of earshot, made a great sucking sound, and dropping his bottle, doubled over choking.

The bar came off and the door fell inward with a great sucking sound.