A Treasury spokesman acknowledged that "this is a tough patch".

True, a football game cannot erase what has been a very tough patch for this image-conscious city.

Welcome to arguably the toughest "fat patch" of all.

That means a few tough patches here and there.

The business is going through a very tough patch, and lots of people are losing their jobs.

By any measure, it is a tough patch.

Ms. Tarnofsky said she would not go to bat for every tenant who is facing a tough patch and loves his Lab.

They have drawn, in Anbar, responsibility for what is clearly the toughest patch assigned to American troops in Iraq.

The new challenge comes as Mr. Uribe is facing the toughest patch of his 15 months in office.

But there have been some tough patches for Republicans this year, with discouraging developments in Iraq, low approval ratings for the president and contradictory economic news.