资料来源 : pyDict

缺乏的,不足的;稀有的,珍贵的

资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Scarce \Scarce\ (sk[^a]rs), a. [Compar. {Scarcer}
   (sk[^a]r"s[~e]r); superl. {Scarcest}.] [OE. scars, OF.
   escars, eschars, LL. scarpsus, excarpsus, for L. excerptus,
   p. p. of excerpere to pick out, and hence to contract, to
   shorten; ex (see {Ex-}) + carpere. See {Carpet}, and cf.
   {Excerp}.]
   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.'' --Milton.

   3. Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; stingy. [Obs.] ``Too scarce
      ne too sparing.'' --Chaucer.

   {To make one's self scarce}, to decamp; to depart. [Slang]

   Syn: Rare; infrequent; deficient. See {Rare}.

Scarce \Scarce\, Scarcely \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.] --Chaucer.

资料来源 : WordNet®

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}]

scarce
     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}]