Adjective

(er)

Somewhat less than is needed in amplitude or extent.

* {{quote-book, year=1864–1865, author=Charles Dickens, title=

, passage=Present on the table, one scanty' pot of tea, one '''scanty''' loaf, two '''scanty''' pats of butter, two ' scanty rashers of bacon, two pitiful eggs, and an abundance of handsome china bought a secondhand bargain.}}

* {{quote-book, year=1979, author=by B. Jonson, title=

, passage=Traditions older than paleoarctic, as scanty as the evidence may be, show clearly that colonization of Alberta and even as far north as southern Alaska came from the south.}}

Sparing; niggardly; parsimonious.

* I. Watts.

In illustrating a point of difficulty, be not too scanty of words.

Adjective

(er)

(obsolete) Sad; sorrowful; grievous.

Disposed to cherish with care; careful.

Cautious; wary; shy.

* act 1 scene 3 lines 35-36

The chariest maid is prodigal enough'' / ''If she unmasks her beauty to the moon.

*1598 , Shakespeare, lines 11-12

Bearing thy heart, which I will keep so chary / ''As tender nurse her babe from faring ill

* 2007 , Stephen R. Donaldson, Fatal Revenant , ISBN 978-0-399-15446-1 Page 182

"...When Lord Berek speaks with you and your companions alone, as he must, be chary in your replies."

Sparing; not lavish; not disposed to give freely.

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