scarce

Adjective · Adverb
Synonyms: barelyhardlyjustscarcely

WordNet 3.0

Adjective (1)

  1. deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand“fresh vegetables were scarce during the drought”

Adverb (1)

  1. only a very short time before“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”Synonyms: barelyhardlyjustscarcely
Advertisement

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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. [1913 Webster]

You tell him silver is scarcer now in England, and therefore risen one fifth in value.— Locke.[1913 Webster]
The scarcest of all is a Pescennius Niger on a medallion well preserved.— Addison.[1913 Webster]

2.Scantily supplied (with); deficient (in); -- with of. [Obs.] "A region scarce of prey." --Milton. [1913 Webster]

3.Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; stingy. [Obs.] "Too scarce ne too sparing." --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

To make one's self scarce, to decamp; to depart. [Slang] [1913 Webster]

Syn: Rare; infrequent; deficient. See Rare. [1913 Webster] Scarce

Scarce \Scarce\, Scarcely \Scarce"ly\, adv.

1.With difficulty; hardly; scantly; barely; but just. [1913 Webster]

With a scarce well-lighted flame.— Milton.[1913 Webster]
The eldest scarcely five year was of age.— Chaucer.[1913 Webster]
Slowly she sails, and scarcely stems the tides.— Dryden.[1913 Webster]
He had scarcely finished, when the laborer arrived who had been sent for my ransom.— W. Irving.[1913 Webster]

2.Frugally; penuriously. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Advertisement