- scarce⇄adj. hard to get; rare.
Ex. Very old stamps are scarce. Good cooks are scarce. Milk was scarce during the strike. Craftsmanship is increasingly scarce in our mechanized society. - scarce⇄adv. scarcely.
Ex. I scarce kept myself from shedding tears (George Gissing). - scarce⇄expr. make oneself scarce, (Informal.)
a. to go away.
Ex. Please do make yourself scarce. You are in my way, and I'm very busy (Arnold Bennett).
b. to stay away.
Ex. My liberty was granted only on condition of making myself scar - scarce⇄expr. scarce as hen's teeth, (Informal.) very scarce.
Ex. Now good comedians are as scarce as hen's teeth (Newsweek). - scarce⇄noun scarceness.
- scarce⇄scarce, adjective, scarcer,scarcest,adverb.