scant definition

1. Not full, large, or plentiful; scarcely sufficient; less than is wanted for the purpose; scanty; meager; not enough; as, a scant allowance of provisions or water; a scant pattern of cloth for a garment. "His sermon was scant, in all, a quarter of an hour." (Ridley)

2. Sparing; parsimonious; chary. "Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence." (Shak)

Synonyms: See Scanty.

Origin: Icel. Skamt, neuter of skamr, skammr, short; cf. Skamta to dole out, to portion.

1. To limit; to straiten; to treat illiberally; to stint; as, to scant one in provisions; to scant ourselves in the use of necessaries. "Where man hath a great living laid together and where he is scanted." (Bacon) "I am scanted in the pleasure of dwelling on your actions." (Dryden)

2. To cut short; to make small, narrow, or scanty; to curtail. "Scant not my cups."

Origin: Scanted; Scanting.