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Webster 1913 Edition

Scarce

Scarce

(skârs)
,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Scarcer
(skâr′sẽr)
;
sup
erl.
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
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Scarce

SCARCE

, a.
1.
Not plentiful or abundant; being in small quantity in proportion to the demand. We say, water is scarce, wheat, rye, barley is scarce, money is scarce, when the quantity is not fully adequate to the demand.
2.
Being few in number and scattered; rare; uncommon. Good horses are scarce.
The scarcest of all is a Pescennius Niger on a medallion well preserved.

SCARCE

,

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