demo - http://jsfiddle.net/victor_007/ywevz8ra/
added border for better view (testing)
more info about white-space
table{
width:100%;
}
table td{
white-space: nowrap; /** added **/
}
table td:last-child{
width:100%;
}
table {_x000D_
width: 100%;_x000D_
}_x000D_
table td {_x000D_
white-space: nowrap;_x000D_
}_x000D_
table td:last-child {_x000D_
width: 100%;_x000D_
}
_x000D_
<table border="1">_x000D_
<thead>_x000D_
<tr>_x000D_
<th>Column A</th>_x000D_
<th>Column B</th>_x000D_
<th>Column C</th>_x000D_
<th class="absorbing-column">Column D</th>_x000D_
</tr>_x000D_
</thead>_x000D_
<tbody>_x000D_
<tr>_x000D_
<td>Data A.1 lorem</td>_x000D_
<td>Data B.1 ip</td>_x000D_
<td>Data C.1 sum l</td>_x000D_
<td>Data D.1</td>_x000D_
</tr>_x000D_
<tr>_x000D_
<td>Data A.2 ipsum</td>_x000D_
<td>Data B.2 lorem</td>_x000D_
<td>Data C.2 some data</td>_x000D_
<td>Data D.2 a long line of text that is long</td>_x000D_
</tr>_x000D_
<tr>_x000D_
<td>Data A.3</td>_x000D_
<td>Data B.3</td>_x000D_
<td>Data C.3</td>_x000D_
<td>Data D.3</td>_x000D_
</tr>_x000D_
</tbody>_x000D_
</table>
_x000D_