The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scant \Scant\, v. i.
   To fail, or become less; to scantle; as, the wind scants.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scant \Scant\, adv.
   In a scant manner; with difficulty; scarcely; hardly. [Obs.]
   --Bacon.
   [1913 Webster]

         So weak that he was scant able to go down the stairs.
                                                  --Fuller.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scant \Scant\, a. [Compar. Scanter; superl. Scantest.]
   [Icel. skamt, neuter of skamr, skammr, short; cf. skamta to
   dole out, to portion.]
   1. Not full, large, or plentiful; scarcely sufficient; less
      than is wanted for the purpose; scanty; meager; not
      enough; as, a scant allowance of provisions or water; a
      scant pattern of cloth for a garment.
      [1913 Webster]

            His sermon was scant, in all, a quarter of an hour.
                                                  --Ridley.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Sparing; parsimonious; chary.
      [1913 Webster]

            Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: See under Scanty.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scant \Scant\, n.
   Scantness; scarcity. [R.] --T. Carew.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scant \Scant\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scanted; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Scanting.]
   1. To limit; to straiten; to treat illiberally; to stint; as,
      to scant one in provisions; to scant ourselves in the use
      of necessaries.
      [1913 Webster]

            Where a man hath a great living laid together and
            where he is scanted.                  --Bacon.
      [1913 Webster]

            I am scanted in the pleasure of dwelling on your
            actions.                              --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To cut short; to make small, narrow, or scanty; to
      curtail. "Scant not my cups." --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

scant
    adj 1: less than the correct or legal or full amount often
           deliberately so; "a light pound"; "a scant cup of sugar";
           "regularly gives short weight" [syn: light, scant(p),
           short]
    v 1: work hastily or carelessly; deal with inadequately and
         superficially [syn: skimp, scant]
    2: limit in quality or quantity [syn: scant, skimp]
    3: supply sparingly and with restricted quantities; "sting with
       the allowance" [syn: stint, skimp, scant]