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Scarce vs Chary - What's the difference?

scarce | chary | Related terms |

Scarce is a related term of chary.


As adjectives the difference between scarce and chary

is that scarce is uncommon, rare; difficult to find; insufficient to meet a demand while chary is (obsolete) sad; sorrowful; grievous.

As an adverb scarce

is scarcely, only just.

scarce

English

(wikipedia scarce)

Adjective

(er)
  • Uncommon, rare; difficult to find; insufficient to meet a demand.
  • * (John Locke)
    • You tell him silver is scarcer now in England, and therefore risen one fifth in value.
  • * , chapter=3
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.}}
  • Scantily supplied (with); deficient (in); used with of .
  • * (John Milton)
    • A region scarce of prey.

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Scarcely, only just.
  • * Milton
    • With a scarce well-lighted flame.
  • * 1854 , (Edgar Allen Poe), (The Raven):
    • And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure that I heard you [...].
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4:
    • Yet had I scarce set foot in the passage when I stopped, remembering how once already this same evening I had played the coward, and run home scared with my own fears.
  • * 1931 , William Faulkner, Sanctuary , Vintage 1993, p. 122:
    • Upon the barred and slitted wall the splotched shadow of the heaven tree shuddered and pulsed monstrously in scarce any wind.

    See also

    * make oneself scarce

    Anagrams

    *

    chary

    English

    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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