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scarcest

 

  1  definition  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}.




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