Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Scant

Scant

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Scanter
;
sup
erl.
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
.
His sermon was
scant
, in all, a quarter of an hour.
Ridley.
2.
Sparing; parsimonious; chary.
Be somewhat
scanter
of your maiden presence.
Shakespeare
Syn. – See under
Scanty
.

Scant

,
Verb.
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
.
Where a man hath a great living laid together and where he is
scanted
.
Bacon.
I am
scanted
in the pleasure of dwelling on your actions.
Dryden.
2.
To cut short; to make small, narrow, or scanty; to curtail.
“Scant not my cups.”
Shak.

Scant

,
Verb.
I.
To fail, or become less; to scantle;
as, the wind
scants
.

Scant

,
adv.
In a scant manner; with difficulty; scarcely; hardly.
[Obs.]
Bacon.
So weak that he was
scant
able to go down the stairs.
Fuller.

Scant

,
Noun.
Scantness; scarcity.
[R.]
T. Carew.

Webster 1828 Edition

Scant

SCANT

, v.t.
To limit; to straiten; as, to scant one in provisions; to scant ourselves in the use of necessaries; to scant a garment in cloth.
I am scanted in the pleasure of dwelling on your actions.

SCANT

,
Verb.
I.
To fail or become less; as, the wind scants.

SCANT

, a.
1.
Not full, large or plentiful; scarcely sufficient; rather less than is wanted for the purpose; as a scant allowance of provisions or water; a scant pattern of cloth for a garment.
2.
Sparing; parsimonious; cautiously affording.
Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence. [Not in use.]
3.
Not fair, free or favorable for a ship's course; as a scant wind.

SCANT

,
adv.
Scarcely; hardly; not quite.
The people - received of the bankers scant twenty shillings for thirty. [Obsolete or vulgar.]

Similar Results