▪ I. scant, n. Obs. exc. dial.
(skænt)
Also 4–7 skant, 5–6 scante, 6 skaunte.
[a. ON. skamt (neut. adj. used absol.): see scant a.]
1. Scanty supply; dearth, scarcity.
| a 1350 S. Andrew 274 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 7 When þai saw it skarsli spring, þan hopid þai to haue skant of corn And of fruyt. c 1460 Towneley Myst. iii. 198 Yit of mete and of drynk haue we veray skant. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 273 The King buskit him sone with scant of Squyary. c 1565 Abp. Parker Ps. xxiii, How can I want, or suffer scant, whan he defendth my side. a 1599 Rollock Serm. xiii. (1616) 255 There is no want nor scant of mercy in Him. a 1639 T. Carew To A. L. 54 Like the ant In plenty hoord for time of scant. 1721 Ramsay Keitha 77 Hynds and herds whase cheeks bespake nae scant. 1757 J. H. Grose Voy. E. Indies 360 If there is a scant of wood, or rain intervenes to damp it. 1823 Galt Entail I. ix. 66 There was neither scant nor want at his burial. |
† 2. Want, need, requirement. Obs. rare—1.
| c 1550 Songs & Poems Costume (Percy) 82 With meate before the set, Suffise but nature's scant. |
† 3. Naut. The action of scant v.; the drawing ahead (of wind). Obs.
| 1595 Drake's Voy. (Hakl. Soc.) 19 The scant of winde we had on Wednesday. |
▪ II. scant, a. and adv. Now mainly arch. or literary.
(skænt)
Forms: 4–8 skant, 5 skantt, (schante, 6 skaunte), 5–6 scante, skante, 5– scant.
[a. ON. skamt, neut. of skamm-r short, brief (= OHG. scamm). For the retention of the neuter ending cf. thwart and quart a. See also scant n.]
A. adj.
1. Existing or available in inadequate or barely sufficient amount, quantity, or degree; stinted in measure, not abundant. Said of commodities, esp. provisions; also of immaterial things, actions, qualities, etc.
| a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 501 He wrot so faste til þat he want, For his parchemyn-skin was so scant, To speken þei hedde such space. 1428 in Surtees Misc. (1890) 3 Iren waxed skant and dere. c 1449 Pecock Repr. v. viii. 530 Thei lyueden streitli and in scant mete and drinke. 1513 Douglas æneis i. Prol. 307 Thocht in my translatioun eloquence skant is. 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV (1550) 41 b, If vrgent necessitie should expostulate, he wer of scant abilitie, to conscribe and set furthe a newe armie. 1550–3 Decaye Eng. in S. Fish Supplic. Beggers (1871) 96 The more shepe, the skanter is the whit meate. 1624 Fletcher Rule a Wife iii. (1640) 39 She had but a scant fame. 1632 Lithgow Trav. i. 29 Deuotion waxed scant amongst the Christians. 1636 Heywood Chall. Beauty iii. F 1, They are full of large promises outward, but lin'd with narrow and scant-performance within. 1714 Prior Viceroy xiv, By which provisions were so scant, That hundreds there did die. a 1771 Gray Dante 23 What scant Light That grim and antique Tower admitted. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. viii, Doctor, my breath is growing as scant as a broken-winded piper's. 1842 Borrow Bible in Spain xlii, In the country money is rather scant. 1879 Farrar St. Paul (1883) 250 The notices of this part of their journey are scant. |
b. Preceding a n. without article or other qualifying word: Very little, less than enough.
| 1852 Dickens Lett. (1880) I. 279 You do scant justice to Dover. 1855 M. Arnold Balder Dead ii. 90 Scant space that warder left for passers by. 1898 Rider Haggard Dr. Therne 7 This country is too full; there is scant room for the individual. |
† c. Limited in numbers, numerically rare. Obs.
| 1581 G. Pettie Guazzo's Civ. Conv. ii. (1586) 55 b, Philosophers and Oratours, who are very scant in the world. |
† d. to come scant of: to fall short of. Obs.
| 1607 Dekker & Webster Northw. Hoe i. A 2, True, but yet it comes scant of the Prophesy: Lincolne was, London is, and Yorke shall-be. |
2. Of a quantity or amount of anything: Limited, stinted; not full, large, or copious.
| 1556 Lauder Tractate 260 Than can ȝe be no maner want Gold, thocht ȝour pose wer neuer sa skant. 1598 Barnfield ‘As it fell vpon a Day’ 35 But if store of Crownes be scant, No man will supply thy want. 1611 Bible Micah vi. 10 The scant measure that is abominable. 1624 Sanderson Serm. (1689) 264 Many others that have a scanter Portion. 1634 Milton Comus 308 In such a scant allowance of Star⁓light. 1766 Goldsm. Hermit iv, And tho' my portion is but scant, I give it with good will. 1885 Manch. Exam. 16 May 6/1 The attendance..was..so scant as to suggest that many members must have anticipated the holiday. 1891 F. Thompson Sister-Songs (1895) 19 And of her own scant pittance did she give, That I might eat and live. |
b. Barely amounting to, or hardly reaching (a specified number or amount). Chiefly U.S.; cf. scant adv. 1 b.
| 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. II. vi. 70 We have just a scant two day's allowance of meat for the sick. 1895 Funk's Stand. Dict., Scant, a. 2. (Colloq.) Being just short of the measure specified: often with the indefinite article even with a plural noun; as, a scant half-hour; a scant five yards. |
3. Limited in extent; not wide or spacious.
| a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) H vij b, Though the realme of Italy was scant, their hertes were grette. a 1639 Spottiswood Hist. Ch. Scot. v. (1677) 255 By reason of the skant and narrow passage many were killed. 1665 Glanvill Scepsis Sci. v. 23 And lye in as narrow a room as their images take up in our scanter Craniums. 1743 Blair Grave 219 The petty Tyrant Of scant Domains Geographer ne'er notic'd. 1863 Kinglake Crimea ii. xvi. 407 The curt, red shell-jacket he wore was as though it were a world too scant for the strength of the man. |
4. Having a scanty or limited supply; poorly furnished. Const. of.
| 1577–95 Descr. Isles in Skene Celtic Scotl. III. App. 436 Quhairthrow thai are scant of fire. 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 298 He's fat, and scant of breath. 1642 Declar. Lords & Comm. to Gen. Assembly Ch. Scot. 13 You were scant of furniture of this kind your selves. 1789 Burns To Dr. Blacklock ix, But to conclude my silly rhyme (I'm scant o' verse, and scant o' time). 1833 Tennyson Two Voices 397 'Tis life whereof our nerves are scant. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. II. App. ii. 311 We were scant of fuel. 1879 Stevenson Trav. with Donkey 72 Cold, naked, and ignoble, scant of wood, scant of heather, scant of life. |
5. Deficient or lacking in quality; poor, meagre, not full or rich. Chiefly of immaterial things. Const. in.
| a 1631 Donne Ecstasie 39 Poems (1633) 279 A single violet transplant, The strength, the colour, and the size, (All which before was poore, and scant) Redoubles still, and multiplies. 1633 G. Herbert Temple, True Hymn iv, Whereas if th' heart be moved, Although the verse be somewhat scant, God doth supplie the want. 1850 Blackie æschylus I. 26 Hence it spread Not scant in strength, a mighty beard of flame. |
† 6. Sparing, parsimonious, not liberal. Also in good sense: Chary, not lavish. Const. of. Obs.
| c 1366 Chaucer A.B.C. 175 Sithe he his merci mesured so large, Be ye not skant. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 442/2 Scant, parcus. c 1550 H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture, For the Wayting Seruaunt 41 Be not to liberall nor to scant, vse measure in eche thing. 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. iii. 121 For this time, Daughter, Be somewhat scanter of your Maiden presence. a 1631 Donne Serm. lxxii. (1640) 727 God in his owne behalfe complaines of the scant and penurious Sacrificer. a 1639 T. Carew To A. L. 21 Did the thing for which I sue Only concern myself, not you..Then had you reason to be scant. 1649 [cf. scant-handedness in 8]. 1651 Davenant Gondibert ii. i. 2 When Infant Morn..With a scant face peep'd shylie through the East. |
7. Naut. Of wind: Too much ahead, so that the ship has to sail very close. Cf. scant v. 2. (Opposed to large or free.)
| 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 276 The winde grew scant [orig. scarso] to approch to land. a 1642 Sir W. Monson Naval Tracts ii. (1704) 255/1 We ply into the Bay with a scant Wind. 1793 Rennell in Phil. Trans. LXXXIII. 189 Yet the wind, being both scant and light, we could never overcome the tendency of the current. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Scant, a term applied to the wind when it heads a ship off, so that she will barely lay her course when the yards are very sharp up. |
8. Comb., as scant-feathered adj.; † scant-brain, one lacking in wits; † scant-handedness, niggardliness; scant-of-wind a., causing shortness of breath; scant o' grace Sc., a graceless fellow.
| 1864 A. Leighton Myst. Leg. Edinb. (1886) 122 Those *scant-brains who deny ghosts. |
| 1872 Coues Key N. Amer. Birds 201 Tarsi long, *scant-feathered. |
| 1649 W. Sclater Comm. Malachy (1650) 161 To what cause should we impute the *scant-handedness of men professing of Religion, and the fear of God; that they, notwithstanding, should so niggardly contribute? |
| 1718 Ramsay Christ's Kirk Gr. iii. xvii, Your tippanizing *scant o' grace, Quoth she, gars me gang duddy. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxviii, I ken'd that Scant-o'-grace weel eneugh frae the very outset. |
| 1823 ― Quentin D. xiv, I never love a man better than when I have put my *scant-of-wind collar about his neck. |
B. adv.
1. Hardly, scarcely; barely. Now dial. (see E.D.D.).
| ? c 1450 Compend. olde Treat. in Roy Rede me (Arb.) 175 Other Gospels ben yet in many places of so olde englishe that scant can anye englishe man reade them. 1492 Paston Lett. III. 376 Hors flesche is of suche a price here that my purce is schante able to bye one hors. 1562 Cooper Answ. Priv. Masse vii. 47 b, I thinke you wyl scant affirme it, although ye be ready to affirme straunge thinges. 1586 W. Webbe Eng. Poetrie (Arb.) 29 He would haue a cast at some wanton and skant comely an Argument. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1982/1 His lordship himselfe scant with sixteene horses..returned towards the passage. 1592 Bacon Wks. (1862) VIII. 198 It was wont to be a token of scant a good liegeman, when the enemy spoiled the country and left any particular mans houses or fields unwasted. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Surrey (1662) iii. 82 Some who could scant brook the name of Bishop were content to give..him a good Report. |
b. qualifying a numeral (which sometimes precedes). Now arch. (? U.S.)
| c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxiii. 252 And whan thei wil fighte, thei wille schokken hem to gidre in a plomp; that ȝif there be 20000 men, men schalle not wenen, that there be scant 10000. 1466 Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 362 The ijde. federbed conteynethe of lengthe iij. Flemyshe stykes, iij. quarters and more, and in brede iij. Flemyshe stykes scant. 1502 Will of Somer (Somerset Ho.), A mast of Corall weyng vj{suph} skant. 1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. 55 Of ten thousand rowers..scant the fourth part returneth againe. 1604 E. G[rimstone] tr. Acosta's Hist. Indies iii. iv. 128 They have scant any neede to touch their sailes in the whole voiage. c 1715 Ramsay Vision iv, A man..With baird thre quarters skant. 1808 Scott Marm. v. xxxiii, Scant three miles the band had rode. a 1849 Hawthorne Twice-told T., Gt. Carbuncle, While scant a mile above their heads, was that bleak verge where the hills throw off their shaggy mantle of forest trees. 1867 Howells Ital. Journeys ii. 12 At the rate of five miles scant an hour. |
† c. with superfluous negative. Obs.
| c 1400 [see b]. 1508 Fisher Ps. li. Wks. (1876) 133 He sholde..not leue scante a dogge. 1515–20 Vox populi 24 in Hazl. E.P.P. III. 269 Thei be not able to feade In theire stable scant a steade. 1552 Latimer Serm. Bexterly (1584) 271 Many of vs..are so slouthfull that we will not scant abide one houre to heare the word of God. 1583 L. M. tr. Bk. Dyeing (1588) 39 Warme it over the fire, so that you may not skant suffer your hand therein. |
† d. Used with a following when (but, but that) to indicate immediate succession of events. Obs.
| 1551 T. Wilson Logike (1580) 58 b, In this worlde a childe shall scant be out of his shell, but [etc.]. 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus ii. 648 Skant was he vp, quhen at the eird was he. c 1610 Women Saints 95 She had scant thrice repeated these wordes, but that the mayd came oute of the water with the booke. a 1718 Parnell Fairy Tale 31 But scant he lays him on the floor, When hollow winds remove the door. |
† 2. Scantily. Obs. rare.
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. v. 18 And fodder for thi beestes therof make First scant [orig. Sed primo parcius præbenda est nouitas pabuli]. c 1620 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) 153 A heart couragious never breathed scant. |
▪ III. scant, v. Now mainly arch.
(skænt)
Also 6–7 skant.
[f. scant a.]
I. intr.
† 1. a. To become scant or scarce. Obs.
| 1436 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 189 Allas! fortune begynneth so to stant [read scant?], Or ellis grace, that dede is governaunce. 1470 Henry Wallace xi. 35 In Wallace ost so scantyt the wictaill, Thai mycht nocht bid [na] langar till assaill. 1586 Bright Melanch. x. 45 Spirit..is either plentifull, or scanteth, as it hath want, or..nourishment. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xxiii. 94 Where..they continued till their maintenance began to scant. 1624 ‘R. Jones’ (T. Lushington) Resurr. Serm. (1659) 77 Of these in their order, as the time hath scanted. |
† b. To be diminished. Const. of. Obs.
| 1607 Relat. Disc. River in Capt. Smith's Wks. (Arb.) Introd. 42 The Ryver skantes of his breadth .2. mile before we come to the Ilet mentyoned. |
2. Naut. Of the wind: To become unfavourable, to draw too much ahead. Const. upon, with. (Cf. scant a. 7.) ? Obs.
| c 1553 J. Locke in Hakluyt's Voy. (1599) II. i. 104 About the third watch the winde scanted, so that we bare with the shore. 1628 Digby Voy. Medit. (1868) 15 The wind scanted much vpon vs, so that wee had much adoe to double the point. 1769 [see scanting vbl. n.]. 1823 W. Scoresby Jrnl. Whale Fish. 392 The wind declined and scanted during the night, so that we could not fetch our port. |
II. trans.
3. a. To furnish (a person, etc.) with an inadequate supply; to stint or limit in respect of provision; to put or keep on short allowance. In pass., to be restricted in the matter of supply, to be straitened (for). ? Obs. (cf. 3 b).
| 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. iv. iv. 49 He..scants vs with a single famisht kisse. 1607 Hieron Wks. I. 230 They are neither scanted for victuals, nor straitened for lodging. 1613 F. Robartes Revenue Gosp. 135 These wil be glad to scant the Minister, that they may haue the more for their owne luxurie. 1626 Bacon New Atl. 17 [He] bad us not to scant our selves; For he would procure such time as wee desired. 1692 R. L'Estrange Josephus, Antiq. xiii. xvi. (1733) 347 The Camp was for some short Time scanted for Water. 1719 D'Urfey Pills I. 243 The Germans bemoaned their Condition, Squadrons were scanted, Officers wanted. |
b. with of: To put or keep on short allowance of; to keep (one) short of; to abridge or deprive of. In pass., to be in want of, have only a scant supply of, be badly off for. Now rare.
| 1565 Jewel Repl. Harding xvi. vi. 552 M. Harding is much scanted of good Authorities, when he is thus driuen by Tales, & Fables, to countreuaile the Tradition of the Apostles. 1597 Sir R. Cecil in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 42 A man, whose fortune scants him of meanes to do you service. 1616 R. Cocks Diary (Hakl. Soc.) I. 134 They skanted him of victuells. 1670 Lond. Gaz. No. 517/3 The other Yacht happening to be scanted of Water near Flaerding. 1861 Trench Ep. 7 Churches Asia 125 This promise..is misunderstood, or at any rate is scanted of its full meaning, unless [etc.]. 1877 Patmore Unknown Eros (1890) 115 She scants me of my right. 1888 Lowell in Even. Post 17 Apr., I..shall not allow myself to be circumscribed and scanted of elbow room. |
c. To limit or restrict in (a supply, endowment, etc.). ? Obs.
| 1600 Holland Livy xxi. xvii. 402 In the number of ships especially was Cornelius skanted. 1611 W. Sclater Key (1629) 129 Howsoeuer the Lord hath scanted thee in the things of this life. 1723 Williams in Phil. Trans. XXXII. 266 Had I not been scanted in Time. 1788 C. Reeve Exiles I. 190, I was so scanted in my allowance, that I dared not make acquaintance where I had not the power to make suitable returns. 1836 Lane Mod. Egypt. II. xii. 228 Miserable, or unfortunate, or scanted in my sustenance. |
† d. with subject a thing. Obs. rare.
| 1628 Gaule Pract. Theories (1629) 21 Time would long fayle me, ere the Truth would here scant mee. Ibid. 61 What weake notions straighten our harts? What imperfect sounds and syllables scant our mouths? While we labour to apprehend his Nature, Person, and Acts. |
4. a. To make scant or small; to reduce in size, cut down; to diminish the amount of. ? Obsolescent.
| c 1590 E. Wright in Hakluyt's Voy. (1599) II. ii. 163 Hereupon also our allowance of drinke, which was scant ynough before, was yet more scanted, because of the scarcitie thereof in the shippe. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. ii. 21 Scant not my Cups. 1661 Glanvill Van. Dogm. 120 The wrong end of the Perspective, which scants their dimensions. 1668 H. More Div. Dial. ii. I. 221 The Generations of men being not considerably scanted for all these four greedy devourers of them. 1870 Lowell Study Wind. 92 As the clearing away of the woods scants the streams. 1880 Sat. Rev. No. 1291. 118 He has not hesitated to expand rather than scant the meaning of the original. 1886 Field 13 Feb. 204/2 Having had to scant the printer's bill to the lowest penny. |
† b. absol. Cf. scanting ppl. a. Obs.
| 1577 Tusser Husb. (1878) 184 Ill huswiferie wanteth with spending too fast. Good huswiferie scanteth the lenger to last. 1611 Bible 2 Kings iv. 5 Borrow not a few. Marg. Or, scant not. |
5. To stint the supply of; to refrain from giving, to withhold; to be niggardly of. Now rare. † to scant out: to dole out sparingly.
| 1573–80 Tusser Husb. (1878) 10 This tree..whose fruite to none is scanted, in house or yet in feeld. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. ii. ii. 81 What he hath scanted them in haire, hee hath giuen them in wit. 1599 ― Hen. V, ii. iv. 47 Doth like a Miser spoyle his Coat, with scanting A little Cloth. c 1603 Heywood & Rowley Fortune by Land & Sea i. ii. (1655) 8 What age doth scant me In sprightly vigour, Ile make good in wealth. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. i. 281 You haue obedience scanted. 1630 Davenant Just Italian v. i. H 3, Th'obedience which I scanted to his life, Vnto his memory I'le strictly pay. a 1654 Selden Table-T. (Arb.) 48 When Constantine became Christian, he so fell in love with the Clergy, that he let them be Judges of all things, but that continued not above three or four Years,..and then..all Jurisdiction belonged to him, and he scanted them out as much as he pleased. 1768 H. Walpole Myst. Mother v. i. (1791) 74 Oft as they scant obedience to the church. 1846 Browning Lett. (1899) I. 392, I cannot undervalue my own treasure and so scant the only tribute of mere gratitude which is in my power to pay. |
† 6. gen. To confine within narrow bounds, deprive of free scope; to limit, restrict, hedge in.
| 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. i. 17 If my Father had not scanted me And hedg'd me by his wit to yeelde my selfe [etc.]. 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 174 If Christ in Melchisedec, shall be so scanted, as to be tyed vnto onely Spoyles. a 1628 Preston Effect. Faith v. (1637) 248 Wee scant God according to our measure; we square Gods mercy according to our owne thoughts. a 1631 Donne Serm. xlv. (1640) 455 Though there be no..imminent danger..of inhibiting or scanting the liberty of the Gospel. |
7. To treat slightingly or inadequately; to neglect, do less than justice to. Now chiefly U.S.
| 1604 Shakes. Oth. i. iii. 268 And Heauen defend your good soules, that you thinke I will your serious and great businesse scant When she is with me. 1644 J. Fary Gods Severity (1645) 27 How are our devotions scanted and slubbered over? 1851 Neale Mediæval Hymns 101 Letter held by, spirit scanted, Saw the Synagogue supplanted. 1969 New Yorker 6 Sept. 111/1 Several thousand..men were on duty in the streets that day, while, presumably, Securitate was not scanting its duties elsewhere. 1977 N.Y. Rev. Books 14 Apr. 5 (Advt.), No thinker or movement is dismissed as too radical, no issue is scanted as too controversial. |
† 8. Naut. In pass., of a ship: To be impeded by the ‘scanting’ of the wind. Cf. sense 2. Obs.
| 1555 (16 Oct.) Admiralty Court Exam. x, The Pellican being a myle..behind thother shipps was scanted with the wind. |
Hence ˈscanting vbl. n.
| 1625 Purchas Pilgrims ii. 1696 They sayled for certaine dayes with aforewind till it came upon the skanting. 1626 B. Jonson Staple of N. ii. i, Your macerating of your body thus with cares and scantings of your dyet, and rest. 1672 Dryden Conq. Granada i. Heroic Plays a 3 b, And, therefore, in the scanting of his Images, and design, he comply'd not enough with the greatness and Majesty of an Heroick Poem. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1780), Scanting, the variation of the wind by which it becomes unfavourable to a ship's course, after having been fair or large. It is distinguished from a foul wind, as in the former a ship is still enabled to sail on her course, although her progress is considerably retarded. |