GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

last match results

Found 5 definitions

1.       
   Scant (?), a. [Compar. Scanter (?); superl. Scantest.] [Icel. skamt, neuter of skamr, skammr, short; cf. skamta to dole out, to portion.]
   1. Not full, large, or plentiful; scarcely sufficient; less than is wanted for the purpose; scanty; meager; not enough; as, “a scant allowance of provisions or water; a scant pattern of cloth for a garment”.
   
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   His sermon was scant, in all, a quarter of an hour. Ridley.
   
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   2. Sparing; parsimonious; chary.
   
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   Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence. Shak.
   
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   Syn. -- See under Scanty.
   
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2.       
   Scant, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Scanting.]
   1. To limit; to straiten; to treat illiberally; to stint; as, “to scant one in provisions; to scant ourselves in the use of necessaries”.
   
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   Where a man hath a great living laid together and where he is scanted. Bacon.
   
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   I am scanted in the pleasure of dwelling on your actions. Dryden.
   
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   2. To cut short; to make small, narrow, or scanty; to curtail. “Scant not my cups.” Shak.
   
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3.       
   Scant, v. i. To fail, or become less; to scantle; as, “the wind scants”.
   
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4.       
   Scant, adv. In a scant manner; with difficulty; scarcely; hardly. [Obs.] Bacon.
   
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   So weak that he was scant able to go down the stairs. Fuller.
   
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5.       
   Scant, n. Scantness; scarcity. [R.] T. Carew.
   
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