SCANT

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse skamt, neuter of skammr short Date: 14th century 1. dialect excessively frugal, not prodigal ; chary , 2. barely or scarcely sufficient, lacking in amplitude or quantity , having a small or insufficient supply , see: meager ~ly adverb ~ness noun II. adverb Date: 15th century scarcely , hardly , III. transitive verb Date: circa 1580 to provide an incomplete supply of, to make small, narrow, or meager, to give ~ attention to ; slight , to provide with a meager or inadequate portion or supply ; stint