Not plentiful or abundant; being in small quantity in proportion to the demand. We say, water is scarce, wheat, rye, barley is scarce, money is scarce, when the quantity is not fully adequate to the demand.

Being few in number and scattered; rare; uncommon. Good horses are scarce. The scarcest of all is a Pescennius Niger on a medallion well preserved.

Hardly; scantly. We scarcely think our miseries our foes.

Hardly; with difficulty. Slowly he sails, and scarcely stems the tides.