Part 92

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.

{ Scarce, Scarce"ly }, adv. 1. With difficulty; hardly; scantly; barely; but just.

With a scarce well-lighted flame.

Milton.

The eldest scarcely five year was of age.

Chaucer.

Slowly she sails, and scarcely stems the tides.

Dryden.

He had scarcely finished, when the laborer arrived who had been sent for my ransom.

W. Irving.

2. Frugally; penuriously. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Scarce"ment (?), n. (Arch. & Engin.) An offset where a wall or bank of earth, etc., retreats, leaving a shelf or footing.

{ Scarce"ness (?), Scar"ci*ty (?) }, n. The quality or condition of being scarce; smallness of quantity in proportion to the wants or demands; deficiency; lack of plenty; short supply; penury; as, a scarcity of grain; a great scarcity of beauties. Chaucer.

A scarcity of snow would raise a mutiny at Naples.

Addison.

Praise . . . owes its value to its scarcity.

Rambler.

The value of an advantage is enhanced by its scarceness.

Collier.

Syn. -- Deficiency; lack; want; penury; dearth; rareness; rarity; infrequency.

Scard (?), n. A shard or fragment. [Obs.]

Scare (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scared (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scaring.] [OE. skerren, skeren, Icel. skirra to bar, prevent, skirrask to shun , shrink from; or fr. OE. skerre, adj., scared, Icel. skjarr; both perhaps akin to E. sheer to turn.] To frighten; to strike with sudden fear; to alarm.

The noise of thy crossbow Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.