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Dearth vs Abundance - What's the difference?

dearth | abundance |

As nouns the difference between dearth and abundance

is that dearth is a period or condition when food is rare and hence expensive; famine while abundance is a large quantity; many.

dearth

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (rfc-sense) A period or condition when food is rare and hence expensive; famine.
  • (by extension) Scarcity; a lack or short supply.
  • * 1608 , William Shakespeare, King Lear :
    • I promise you, the effects he writes of succeed unhappily: as of unnaturalness between the child and the parent; death, dearth , dissolutions of ancient amities; divisions in state, menaces and maledictions against king and nobles; needless diffidences, banishment of friends, dissipation of cohorts, nuptial breaches, and I know not what.
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  • (obsolete) Dearness; the quality of being rare or costly.
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    • Synonyms

    * (period when food is rare) famine, shortage * (scarcity) paucity, scarcity

    Anagrams

    * * *

    abundance

    English

    (wikipedia abundance)

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete) abundaunce * (obsolete) habundance * (obsolete) boundance * (card games) abondance

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A large quantity; many.
  • An overflowing fullness or ample sufficiency; profusion; copious supply; superfluity; plentifulness.
  • * (rfdate) (Sir Walter Raleigh)
    • It is lamentable to remember what abundance of noble blood hath been shed with small benefit to the Christian state.
  • Wealth; affluence; plentiful amount of resources.
  • Frequency, amount, ratio of something within a given environment or sample.
  • (card games) A bid to take nine or more tricks in solo whist.

    • Usage notes

    * Synonym notes: Abundance , Plenty]], [[exuberance, Exuberance. These words rise upon each other in expressing the idea of fullness. ** Plenty'' denotes a sufficiency to supply every want; as, ''plenty'' of food, ''plenty of money, etc. ** Abundance'' express more, and gives the idea of superfluity or excess; as, ''abundance'' of riches, an ''abundance of wit and humor; often, however, it only denotes plenty in a high degree. ** Exuberance'' rises still higher, and implies a bursting forth on every side, producing great superfluity or redundance; as, an ''exuberance'' of mirth, an ''exuberance of animal spirits, etc.

    Synonyms

    * exuberance, plenteousness, plenty, copiousness, overflow, riches, affluence, wealth

    Related terms

    * abound * abundant

    References

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