11.   He looked as if he was reciting some charm to ward off evil spirits.

12.   She backed away, one hand raised to ward him off, stopping abruptly as she came up against the edge of the table.

13.   Visions of Dr. Martens steel-caped boots with shorts in summer and empty split peat bags warding off sudden downpours in winter are all too realistic.

14.   American Home Products Corp. told an expert government panel today that its vaccine can help ward off the most common cause of diarrhea in infants.

15.   Analysts said the bid was probably high enough to ward off rivals offers.

16.   And an act of alchemy, too, like mixing an elixir to resurrect a lost loved one or attain prohibited knowledge or ward off harm.

17.   An instruction book found with the gun in Australia described it as a weapon intended to fire cartridges filled with gas to ward off attackers.

18.   And economic indicators in the U.S. suggested the Federal Reserve may not have to raise interest rates to ward off inflation.

19.   Analysts speculate that Paribas wanted to tighten its links with Navigation Mixte in order to ward off possible takeovers, including one from Pinault-Printemps-Redoute.

20.   And almost all have private little rituals to ward off the niggling demons of insecurity.