That said, all the other times that company blogs came along there weren't these major defections.

Mr. Torricelli disagrees that there will be any major defections within his own party.

Even in its port, around which the city sprang, Singapore has suffered major defections.

"We have not seen any major defections," she said.

Ms. Robinson said: "We haven't seen any major defections of advertisers at all, and we're not giving away space."

The same is true in Alabama, which had 50 major defections to the Republicans from 1994 through 1997, but only three since then.

The threat of major defections by House Republicans became clear after a testy morning caucus.

But all it took was one major defection to start the ball rolling.

The first major defection from Warner's movement occurred in the latter years of the 1890s.

About 500 servicemen leave barracks and join protesters in the first major military defections.