Scant , n. Scantness; scarcity. [R.]
T. Carew.
Scant , adv. In a scant manner; with difficulty; scarcely; hardly. [Obs.]
Bacon.
So weak that he
was scant able to go down the stairs.
Fuller.
Scant , v. i. To fail, or become less; to scantle; as, the wind
scants.
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.
Where a man hath a great living laid together and where he is
scanted.
Bacon.
I am scanted
in the pleasure of dwelling on your actions.
Dryden.
2. To cut
short; to make small, narrow, or scanty; to curtail. "Scant
not my cups." Shak.
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.
His sermon was scant, in all, a quarter of an
hour.
Ridley.
2. Sparing; parsimonious; chary.
Be
somewhat scanter of your maiden presence.
Shak. Syn. -- See under Scanty.
Hear it pronounced