Part 88

Fuller.

Scant, n. Scantness; scarcity. [R.] T. Carew.

Scant"i*ly (?), adv. In a scanty manner; not fully; not plentifully; sparingly; parsimoniously.

His mind was very scantily stored with materials.

Macaulay.

Scant"i*ness, n. Quality or condition of being scanty.

Scan"tle (?), v. i. [Dim. of scant, v.] To be deficient; to fail. [Obs.] Drayton.

Scan"tle (?), v. t. [OF. escanteler, eschanteler, to break into contles; pref. es- (L. ex) + cantel, chantel, corner, side, piece. Confused with E. scant. See Cantle.] To scant; to be niggard of; to divide into small pieces; to cut short or down. [Obs.]

All their pay Must your discretion scantle; keep it back.

J. Webster.

Scant"let (?), n. [OF. eschantelet corner.] A small pattern; a small quantity. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

Scant"ling (?), a. [See Scant, a.] Not plentiful; small; scanty. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

Scant"ling, n. [Cf. OF. eschantillon, F. échantillon, a sample, pattern, example. In some senses confused with scant insufficient. See Scantle, v. t.] 1. A fragment; a bit; a little piece. Specifically: (a) A piece or quantity cut for a special purpose; a sample. [Obs.]

Such as exceed not this scantling; -- to be solace to the sovereign and harmless to the people.

Bacon.

A pretty scantling of his knowledge may taken by his deferring to be baptized so many years.

Milton.

(b) A small quantity; a little bit; not much. [Obs.]

Reducing them to narrow scantlings.

Jer. Taylor.

2. A piece of timber sawed or cut of a small size, as for studs, rails, etc.

3. The dimensions of a piece of timber with regard to its breadth and thickness; hence, the measure or dimensions of anything.

4. A rough draught; a rude sketch or outline.

5. A frame for casks to lie upon; a trestle. Knight.

Scant"ly, adv. 1. In a scant manner; not fully or sufficiently; narrowly; penuriously. Dryden.

2. Scarcely; hardly; barely.

Scantly they durst their feeble eyes dispread Upon that town.

Fairfax.