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Scarce   /skɛrs/   Listen
adjective
Scarce  adj.  (compar. scarcer; superl. scarcest)  
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." "The scarcest of all is a Pescennius Niger on a medallion well preserved."
2.
Scantily supplied (with); deficient (in); with of. (Obs.) "A region scarce of prey."
3.
Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; stingy. (Obs.) "Too scarce ne too sparing."
To make one's self scarce, to decamp; to depart. (Slang)
Synonyms: Rare; infrequent; deficient. See Rare.



adverb
Scarcely, Scarce  adv.  
1.
With difficulty; hardly; scantly; barely; but just. "With a scarce well-lighted flame." "The eldest scarcely five year was of age." "Slowly she sails, and scarcely stems the tides." "He had scarcely finished, when the laborer arrived who had been sent for my ransom."
2.
Frugally; penuriously. (Obs.)






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








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"Scarce" Quotes from Famous Books



... Anti-Tooke? I am no judge of such things—you are; but I think it very clever indeed. If I knew your bookseller, I'd order it for you at a venture: 'tis two octavos, Longman and Co. Or do you read now? Tell it not in the Admiralty Court, but my head aches hesterno vino. I can scarce pump up words, much less ideas, congruous to be sent so far. But your son must have this by to-night's post.[Here came a passage relating to an escapade of young Stoddart, then at the Charterhouse, which, ...
— The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb (Vol. 6) - Letters 1821-1842 • Charles and Mary Lamb

... and the crowd, scarce believing, stayed behind and drank to his health. Not a word was said by Rimrock or his friends as to the source of this sudden wealth. For once in his life Rimrock Jones was reticent, but the roll of bills spoke for itself. He came out of Woo Chong's restaurant ...
— Rimrock Jones • Dane Coolidge

... depart with a larger quantity of the current coin of Russia in their possession than they possessed on first seeking the interview. In a few days, Tchitchikof found himself possessed of 2000 souls, at the moderate cost of 19,500 rubles. Dead souls were getting quite a scarce article; and, on the true principles of supply and demand, some enterprising Nikolskians were about to import some defunct souls from a distance, when suddenly, one morning, the host of the Eagle announced, that at dead ...
— Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 460 - Volume 18, New Series, October 23, 1852 • Various

... is you, it is you, poor better thoughts! The needful hope, shame for the ancient blots, Heart's gentleness with mind's severity, And vigilance, and calm, and constancy, And all!—But slow as yet, though well awake; Though sturdy, shy; scarce able yet to break The spell of stifling night and heavy dreams. One comes after the other, and each seems Uncouther, and all fear the moonlight cold. "Thus, sheep when first they issue from the fold, Come,—one, then two, then three. The rest ...
— Poems of Paul Verlaine • Paul Verlaine

... some of 'em was too proud to do drudgery work, but most of 'em went right to work and build up deir homes again. Food, clothes, and in fact everything needed, was scarce. ...
— Slave Narratives, Oklahoma - A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From - Interviews with Former Slaves • Various


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