scant
[skant]
- barely sufficient in amount or quantity; not abundant; almost inadequate: to do scant justice.
- limited; meager; not large: a scant amount.
- barely amounting to as much as indicated: a scant two hours; a scant cupful.
- having an inadequate or limited supply (usually followed by of): scant of breath.
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- to make scant; diminish.
- to stint the supply of; withhold.
- to treat slightly or inadequately.
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- Scot. and North England Dialect. scarcely; barely; hardly.
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Origin of scant
1325–75; Middle English (adj.) < Old Norse skamt, neuter of skammr short
Synonyms
See more synonyms for scant on Thesaurus.com2. scanty, small, restricted. 4. short, lacking, wanting, deficient. 5. lessen, reduce, decrease, curtail. 6. limit, restrict, skimp, scrimp. 7. slight, neglect.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for scant
Contemporary Examples
Retailers were hammered by the scheme because checks and balances were scant in 2012, when the eBay grifting peaked.
But even if the promised money does finally arrive, there is scant guarantee it will be used appropriately.
Madonna, Carla Bruni & Obama Abandoned Pledges To Rebuild L'Aquila After The QuakeBarbie Latza Nadeau
November 18, 2014
Indeed there is a pre-Hispanic ceremonial site located a scant 400 meters from the outer edge of the Otomí Lake & Villas property.
She slammed the media, saying the coverage has been scant and inaccurate.
Had it been a scant $23.6 million, she was still more than ready to pop some victory champagne.
Historical Examples
The sky was now clear, the air frosty, and my rags were but a scant protection to me.
Biography of a SlaveCharles Thompson
Of Rouquet's activities as an artist in England there are scant particulars.
De Libris: Prose and VerseAustin Dobson
He appears to have grown fat and scant of breath when he was about thirty-six or seven.
The Man ShakespeareFrank Harris
After the first day of the siege there was scant leisure for funeral rites.
Camps, Quarters and Casual PlacesArchibald Forbes
The meat was little better than the bread in quality, and quite as scant in quantity.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
scant
- scarcely sufficient; limitedhe paid her scant attention
- (prenominal) slightly short of the amount indicated; barea scant ten inches
- (postpositive foll by of) having a short supply (of)
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- to limit in size or quantity
- to provide with a limited or inadequate supply of
- to treat in a slighting or inadequate manner
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- scarcely; barely
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Word Origin
C14: from Old Norse skamt, from skammr /short; related to Old High German scam
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for scant
adj.
mid-14c., from a Scandinavian source (cf. Old Norse skamt, neuter of skammr "short, brief"), from Proto-Germanic *skamma- (cf. Old English scamm "short," Old High German skemmen "to shorten"), perhaps ultimately "hornless," from PIE *kem- (see hind (n.)). Also in Middle English as a noun, "scant supply, scarcity," from Old Norse. As a verb and adverb from mid-15c.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper