scarce /ˈskɛrs, ˈskærs/
 (a.)缺乏的,不足的;稀有的,珍貴的


 Scarce a. [Compar. Scarcer superl. Scarcest.]
 1. Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon.
    You tell him silver is scarcer now in England, and therefore risen one fifth in value.   --Locke.
    The scarcest of all is a Pescennius Niger on a medallion well preserved.   --Addison.
 2. Scantily supplied (with); deficient (in); -- with of. [Obs.] “A region scarce of prey.”
 3. Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; stingy. [Obs.] “Too scarce ne too sparing.”
 To make one's self scarce, to decamp; to depart. [Slang]
 Syn: -- Rare; infrequent; deficient. See Rare.

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 Scarce, Scarce·ly, adv.
 1. With difficulty; hardly; scantly; barely; but just.
    With a scarce well-lighted flame.   --Milton.
    The eldest scarcely five year was of age.   --Chaucer.
    Slowly she sails, and scarcely stems the tides.   --Dryden.
    He had scarcely finished, when the laborer arrived who had been sent for my ransom.   --W. Irving.
 2. Frugally; penuriously. [Obs.]

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 scarce
      adj 1: not enough; hard to find; "meat was scarce during the war"
      2: deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand;
         "fresh vegetables were scarce during the drought" [ant: abundant]
      adv : by a small margin; "they could barely hear the speaker"; "we
            hardly knew them"; "just missed being hit"; "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 [syn: barely, hardly, just,
             scarcely]