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Scanty vs Scare - What's the difference?

scanty | scare |

As an adjective scanty

is somewhat less than is needed in amplitude or extent.

As a noun scare is

a minor fright.

As a verb scare is

to frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.

scanty

English

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.

    Derived terms

    * scantily * scantiness

    See also

    * meagre * scant * slender * insufficient * deficient * scarce

    scare

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A minor fright.
  • Johnny had a bad scare last night.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=June 4 , author=Phil McNulty , title=England 2 - 2 Switzerland , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=England were held to a draw after surviving a major scare against Switzerland as they were forced to come from two goals behind to earn a point in the Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley.}}
  • A cause of slight terror; something that inspires fear or dread.
  • JM is a scare to the capitalists of this country.

    Synonyms

    * fright

    See also

    * scarecrow

    Verb

  • To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.
  • Did it scare you when I said "Boo!"?
  • * (rfdate) (Shakespeare)
  • The noise of thy crossbow / Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
  • * (The Langoliers)
  • (Laurel Stevenson) Would you please be quiet? You're scaring the little girl.
    (Craig Toomey) Scaring the little girl?! Scaring the little girl?! Lady!

    Synonyms

    * frighten * terrify * See also

    Derived terms

    * bird-scarer * Red scare * scarecrow * scared * scaredy-cat * scaremonger * scare out of one's wits * scarer * scare straight * scare the pants off of

    Anagrams

    * ----