Scant

Part of speech: noun (n.)

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

Part of speech: verb (v.)

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 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.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To fail, of become less; to scantle; as, the wind scants.

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

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. Shak.

Synonyms: See under Scanty.

Part of speech: adverb (adv.)

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