3 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Scarce \Scarce\ (sk[^a]rs), a. [Compar. {Scarcer}
(sk[^a]r"s[~e]r); superl. {Scarcest}.] [OE. scars, OF
escars, eschars, LL scarpsus excarpsus for L. excerptus
p. p. of excerpere to pick out and hence to contract, to
shorten; ex (see {Ex-}) + carpere. See {Carpet}, and cf
{Excerp}.]
1. Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion
to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare uncommon.
You tell him silver is scarcer now in England, and
therefore risen one fifth in value. --Locke.
The scarcest of all is a Pescennius Niger on a
medallion well preserved. --Addison.
2. Scantily supplied (with); deficient (in); -- with of
[Obs.] ``A region scarce of prey.'' --Milton.
3. Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; stingy. [Obs.] ``Too scarce
ne too sparing.'' --Chaucer.
{To make one's self scarce}, to decamp; to depart. [Slang]
Syn: Rare infrequent; deficient. See {Rare}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Scarce \Scarce\, Scarcely \Scarce"ly\, adv
1. With difficulty; hardly; scantly; barely; but just
With a scarce well-lighted flame. --Milton.
The eldest scarcely five year was of age. --Chaucer.
Slowly she sails, and scarcely stems the tides.
--Dryden.
He had scarcely finished, when the laborer arrived
who had been sent for my ransom. --W. Irving.
2. Frugally; penuriously. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
scarce
adj 1: not enough; hard to find "meat was scarce during the war"
2: deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand;
"fresh vegetables were scarce during the drought" [ant: {abundant}]
adv : by a small margin; "they could barely hear the speaker"; "we
hardly knew them"; "just missed being hit"; "had
scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open"; "would
have scarce arrived before she would have found some
excuse to leave"- W.B.Yeats [syn: {barely}, {hardly}, {just},
{scarcely}]
more about scarce
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