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One who writes in rhythm, esp. in poetic rhythm or meter. [R.] One now scarce counted a rhythmer, formerly admitted for a poet. Fuller.

ess of manhood; ripeness of judgment. Time, which made them their fame outlive, To Cowley scarce did ripeness give. Denham.

s, ashes, sand, etc.; as, to roast a potato in ashes. In eggs boiled and roasted there is scarce difference to be discerned. BAcon.

To beat a drum with strokes so rapid that they can scarcely be distinguished by the ear.

The frame of a saddle. For saddletree scarce reached had he, His journey to begin. Cowper.

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.

Scarcely; hardly; barely. Scantly they durst their feeble eyes dispread Upon that town. Fairfax. We hold a tourney here to-morrow morn, And there is scantly time for half the work. Tennyson.

Scarcely; hardly. [Obs. or Colloq.] Robynson (More's Utopia)

econd our attempt. Shak. In human works though labored on with pain, A thousand movements scarce one purpose gain; In God's, one single can its end produce, Yet serves to second too some other use. Pope.

e. Shak. 'Tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age. Shak. I could scarcely shake him out of my company. Bunyan. To shake a cask (Naut.), to knock a cask to pieces and pack the staves. -- To shake hands, to perform the customary act of civility by clasping and moving hands, as an expression of g…

of which there is but one; unique. These busts of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind. Addison. Singular point in a curve (Math.), a point at which the curve possesses some peculiar properties not possessed by other points of the curve, as a cusp point, or a mu…

To use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save. "No cost would he spare." Chaucer. [Thou] thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare. Milton. He that hath knowledge, spareth his words. Prov. xvii. 27.

specifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging. A lively cobbler that . . . had scarce passed a day without giving her [his wife] the discipline of the strap. Addison.

n inferior capacity; serving to promote some end; subordinate; hence, servile, truckling. Scarce ever reading anything which he did not make subservient in one kind or other. Bp. Fell. These ranks of creatures are subservient one to another. Ray. Their temporal ambition was wholly subservient to their proselytizing spi…

Consisting of, abounding in, or resembling, surf; as, a surfy shore. Scarce had they cleared the surfy waves That foam around those frightful caves. Moore.

To admit extension. Woolen cloth will tenter, linen scarcely. Bacon.

s take a tincture from our own. Pope. Every man had a slight tincture of soldiership, and scarcely any man more than a slight tincture. Macaulay.

d; supportable, either physically or mentally. As may affect tionearth with cold and heat Scarce tolerable. Milton.

ch, tracks or pursues, as a man or dog that follows game. And of the trackers of the deer Scarce half the lessening pack was near. Sir W. Scott.

Fig.: To run; to jog; to hurry. He that rises late must trot all day, and will scarcely overtake his business at night. Franklin.