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scant

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)

Synonym: See Scanty.

Origin: Icel. Skamt, neuter of skamr, skammr, short; cf. Skamta to dole out, to portion.

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 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.

Origin: Scanted; Scanting.