Nearby Words
adjective
1.
insufficient to satisfy the need or demand; not abundant: Meat and butter were scarce during the war.
2.
seldom met with; rare: a scarce book.
adverb
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Scarce
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
4.
make oneself scarce, Informal.
a.
to depart, especially suddenly.
b.
to stay away; avoid.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English scars < Old North French (e)scars < Vulgar Latin *excarpsus plucked out, for Latin excerptus; see excerpt
1250–1300; Middle English scars < Old North French (e)scars < Vulgar Latin *excarpsus plucked out, for Latin excerptus; see excerpt
Related forms
scarce·ness, noun
un·scarce, adjective
un·scarce·ly, adverb
un·scarce·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. deficient. 2. uncommon, infrequent.
1. deficient. 2. uncommon, infrequent.
Antonyms
1. abundant.
1. abundant.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To scarce
Collins
World English Dictionary
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
scarce
c.1300, "restricted in quantity," from O.N.Fr. scars (O.Fr. eschars) from V.L. *escarpsus, from *excarpere "pluck out," from L. excerpere "pluck out" (see excerpt). Phrase to make oneself scarce "go away" first attested 1809 in "Gil Blas." Related: Scarcely.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
scarce
In addition to the idiom beginning with scarce, also see make oneself scarce.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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