scarce
[ skairs ]
/ skɛərs /
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adjective, scarc·er, scarc·est.
insufficient to satisfy the need or demand; not abundant: Meat and butter were scarce during the war.
seldom met with; rare: a scarce book.
adverb
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On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
Idioms for scarce
- to depart, especially suddenly.
- to stay away; avoid.
make oneself scarce, Informal.
Origin of scarce
1250–1300; Middle English scars<Old North French (e)scars<Vulgar Latin *excarpsus plucked out, for Latin excerptus;see excerpt
OTHER WORDS FROM scarce
scarceness, nounun·scarce, adjectiveun·scarce·ly, adverbun·scarce·ness, nounWords nearby scarce
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for scarce
British Dictionary definitions for scarce
scarce
/ (skɛəs) /
adjective
rarely encountered
insufficient to meet the demand
make oneself scarce informal to go away, esp suddenly
adverb
archaic, or literary scarcely
Derived forms of scarce
scarceness, nounWord Origin for scarce
C13: from Old Norman French scars, from Vulgar Latin excarpsus (unattested) plucked out, from Latin excerpere to select; see excerpt
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Idioms and Phrases with scarce
scarce
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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