sparsely, adv.
(ˈspɑːslɪ)
[f. sparse a. + -ly2.]
1. In a sparse manner; not closely or densely; thinly.
| 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. I. 191 It grows sparsely in the N. England and middle States. 1800 Monthly Mag. IX. 237 The paper is sparsely written. 1851 Nichol Archit. Heav. 35 Strewn comparatively sparsely through the neighbouring spaces. 1867 Baker Nile Trib. xix. (1872) 327 A vast plain sparsely covered with small trees. |
b. Thinly with respect to inhabitants.
| 1857 Olmsted Journ. Texas 365 The country is sparsely settled, containing less than one inhabitant to the square mile. 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola ii. i, The hill was sparsely inhabited, and covered chiefly by gardens. 1879 H. George Progr. & Pov. ii. ii. (1881) 98 The earth as a whole is yet most sparsely populated. |
2. At rare or infrequent intervals of time. rare—1.
| 1867 Mrs. Carlyle in C. Reminis. (1881) II. 153 In summer we had sparsely visitors, now and then her mother, or my own. |
3. Comb. with ppl. adjs. (usually hyphened), as sparsely-bushed, sparsely-foliaged, sparsely-populated, etc.
Freq. in recent use.
| 1880 Spalding Eliz. Demonol. 129 The sparsely populated country sides. 1882 O'Donovan Merv Oasis I. 330 Sparsely-sprinkled gardens..tremble in the mirage. 1895 J. G. Millais Breath fr. Veldt (1899) 300 We all knew the country—a great sparsely-bushed plain. 1897 M. Kingsley W. Africa 587 A clump of gnarled sparsely-foliaged trees. |