HyperDic: scarce

English > 3 senses of the word scarce:
ADVERBallscarce, barely, hardly, just, scarcelyonly a very short time before
allscarce, hardly, scarcely, barelyalmost not
ADJECTIVEallscarcedeficient in quantity or number compared with the demand
scarce > pronunciation
Soundsskeh'rs
English > scarce: 3 senses > adjective 1
MeaningDeficient in quantity or number compared with the demand.
Example"fresh vegetables were scarce during the drought"
Attribute ofquantityAn adequate or large amount
Narrowerrarenot widely distributed
tightaffected by scarcity and expensive to borrow
See alsomeager, meagre, meagerly, stingy, scrimpyDeficient in amount or quality or extent
OppositeabundantPresent in great quantity
Spanishescaso
Catalanescàs
Nounsscarcity, scarcenessa small and inadequate amount
Adverbsscarcelyalmost not
English > scarce: 3 senses > adverb 1
MeaningOnly a very short time before.
Examples
  • "had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open"
  • "would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave"- W.B.Yeats
Synonymsbarely, hardly, just, scarcely
Spanishapenas
English > scarce: 3 senses > adverb 2
Meaningalmost not.
Example "they scarcely ever used the emergency generator"
Synonymshardly, scarcely, barely
Spanishapenas, difícilmente, escasamente

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