scant
part of speech
adjective (scant) — formal or literary
meaning for a pupil
1) Scant means very little, hardly enough. tree →
2) Scant can mean a bit less than a stated amount, as in «a scant teaspoon» (not quite a full one). tree →
3) Having a scant in your breath means being short of breath, so you puff when you climb. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Too little or too short. The "scant measure" is a cheating measure used by dishonest merchants, and scant bread is a prisoner's meager food. Interpretation: The law forbids false weights and measures, and Micah's words are read as a charge against cheating in business. In the primary lessons: In books and the formal exam voice it shows that there is not enough of something: «scant evidence», «paid scant attention». In cooking recipes «a scant cup» means slightly less than a full cup. Phrases: «scant attention», «scant regard», «scant evidence», «a scant cup».
examples
- Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? (Prophets MIC.6.10, JPS 1917) tree →
- and say: Thus saith the king: Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with scant bread and with scant water, until I come in peace.' (Prophets 1KI.22.27, JPS 1917) tree →
- and say: Thus saith the king: Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with scant bread and with scant water, until I return in peace.' (Writings 2CH.18.26, JPS 1917) tree →
- There was scant food left after the party. tree →
- He paid scant attention to the warning signs. tree →
- The scientist said there was scant evidence for the claim. tree →
- Add a scant teaspoon of salt. tree →
- The desert gets scant rain each year. tree →
- The explorers had scant hope of rescue. tree →
- Henceforth whenever I go up a hill, I shall have a scant in my breath and a pain in my chest." tree →
note
Formal word; everyday words are «little», «hardly any», «not much». Used before uncountable nouns (scant attention, scant rain). Not «scanty» exactly: «scanty» often describes clothes that cover little. In recipes, «scant» means a little under the measure.
In the corpora
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «scant» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.