[scarce] adj scarc.er ; scarc.est [ME scars, fr. ONF escars, fr. (assumed) VL excarpsus, lit., plucked out, pp. of L excerpere to pluck out--more at excerpt] (14c) 1: deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand: not plentiful or abundant
2: intentionally absent "made himself ~ at inspection time" syn see infrequent -- scarce.ness n
[2]scarce adv (15c): scarcely, hardly