SCARCENESS

scarceness|scarcity. Scarceness, or Scarcity, n. rareness, want

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{ Scarce″ness (?), Scar″ci‐ty (?) }, n. The quality or condition of being scarce; smallness of quantity in proportion to the wants or demands; deficiency; lack of plenty; short supply; penury; as, a scarcity of grain; a great scarcity of beauties. Chaucer. A scarcity of snow would raise a mutiny at Naples. Addison. Praise . . . owes its value to its scarcity. Rambler. The value of an advantage is enhanced by its scarceness. Collier. Syn. — Deficiency; lack; want; penury; dearth; rareness; rarity; infrequency.