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Destitution vs Dearth - What's the difference?

destitution | dearth |

In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between destitution and dearth

is that destitution is (obsolete) the action of deserting or abandoning while dearth is (obsolete) dearness; the quality of being rare or costly.

As nouns the difference between destitution and dearth

is that destitution is (obsolete) the action of deserting or abandoning while dearth is a period or condition when food is rare and hence expensive; famine.

destitution

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) The action of deserting or abandoning.
  • Discharge from office; dismissal.
  • The condition of lacking something.
  • * 1906 , ‘Mark Twain’, in The Bible According to Mark Twain , 1996, p. 330:
  • He requires of his fellow man obedience to a very creditable code of morals, but he observes without shame or disapproval his God's utter destitution of morals.
  • An extreme state of poverty, in which a person is almost completely lacking in resources or means of support.
  • * 2009 , Rahila Gupta, The Guardian , 4 Aug 2009:
  • Destitution forces many asylum seekers to end up working for extremely low wages in catering, cleaning and construction, for example, without any protection against unscrupulous employers.

    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

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