All 25 Uses
scarcity
in
Robinson Crusoe
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- We set sail soon after, and our ship had scarce left the Humber astern, when there arose so violent a storm, that, being extremely sea-sick, I concluded the judgment of God deservedly followed me for my disobedience to my dear parents.†
scarce = in short supply OR barely or hardly (by a small margin)
- Such were my thoughts while the storm continued: but these good resolutions decreased with the danger; more especially when my companion came to me, clapping me on the shoulder: "What, Bob!" said he, "sure you was not frightened last night with scarce a capful of wind?"†
- I can scarce express the agitations of my mind at this sight.†
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- As I had a constant view of the country, I thought I could not miss my way; but scarce had I travelled three miles, when I descended into a very large valley, so surrounded with hills covered with wood, that I having no guide but the sun, nor even this, unless I knew will the position of the sun at the time of day; and to add to my misfortune, the weather proving very hazy, I was obliged to return to my post by the sea-side, and so backwards the same way I came.†
- And, indeed, scarce two years had passed over my head, when there appeared a lovely shady grove, and in six years it became a thick wood perfectly impassable.†
- And here I cannot but take notice of the strong ties of friendship, which many times surpass those of consanguinity: For often we find a great disagreement among kindred; and when there is any seeming regard for each other, it is very seldom true, and scarce ever lasting, if powerful interest does not bear the sway; and that alone is often the occasion of the greatest hatred in the world, which is to desire the death of parents and relations, for the sake of acquiring their fortunes.†
- But, as it happened, there was seldom occasion for it, there being but little cloudy weather, and scarce any fog in those parts; the stars were always visible in the night, and the shore perspicuous by day, except in the rainy season, which confined every one to his habitation.†
- But though I comforted him in the best manner I could, the poor creature trembled so, that I scarce knew what to do with him:—O master, said he, they come look Friday, cut pieces Friday, cut a me up.†
- He answered me in Latin, Christiantis; but so very weak and faint, that he could scarce stand or speak.†
- Scarce a fortnight had passed over my head, but impatient for their return, I laid me down to sleep one morning, when a strange accident happened, which was ushered in by Friday's coming running to me, and calling aloud, Master, Master, they are come, they are come.†
- scarce were the victuals half boiled in the pot; but they were ready to break open the cook-room door.†
- The youth, indeed, was not so far gone; yet lay stretched out on a cabin bed, like one that had scarce any life.†
- Their arms being given them again, they scarce had them a week when they became as troublesome as ever; but an accident happening soon after, obliged us to lay aside private resentments, and look to our common preservation.†
- Old Friday had scarce ended his relation, when we heard an uncommon noise, and perceived that there was a horrid engagement between the two armies.†
- Nothing could be farther from their thoughts than to behold their faces any more; and yet scarce two and twenty days had passed over their heads, but one of the Englishmen, being abroad a planting, perceived at a distance, three men well armed, approaching towards him.†
- As we were all of opinion that the savages would scarce trouble them any more, so we had no apprehensions on the score.†
- Scarce had we time to get the boat ashore, when our men came plunging themselves into the water, with about four hundred of the islanders at their heels.†
- When I had got to the boat, the fire was almost extinguished, and the noise abated; but I had scarce been half an hour on board the ship, when I heard another volley given by our sailors, and a great smoke, which, as I afterwards found, was our men falling upon those houses and persons that stood between them and the sea; but here they spared the wives and children, and killed only the men, to the number of about sixteen or seventeen.†
- When we came to the Gulph of Persia, five of our men, who ventured on shore, were either killed or made slaves by the Arabians, the rest of them having scarce time to escape to their boat.†
- Scarce had we finished our discourse upon this head, but a sailor came to the cabin door, with a message from the Captain, that we were chased by five sloops full of armed men.†
- And we scarce slept one night without dreaming of halters, yard-arms, or gibbets, of fighting, being taken, and being killed; nay, so violent were our apprehensions, that we would bruise our hands and heads against the sides of the cabin, as though actually engaged.†
- We had scarce been a week at Pekin, but he comes laughing to us.†
- for there is scarce a doubt, that there is a place reserved for the reception of our souls after death: for if we are to be, we must have a where, which the scriptures assert by the examples of Dives and Lazarus.†
- He told us, that his agility in pursuing a goat had once like to have cost him his life; he pursued it with so much eagerness, that he catched hold of it on the brink of a precipiece, of which he was not aware, the bushes hiding it from him; so, that he fell with the goat down the precipiece; a great height, and was to stunned and bruised with the fall, that he narrowly escaped with his life; and, when he came to his senses, found the goat dead under him: He lay there about twenty-four hours, and was scarce able to crawl to his hut, which was about a mile distant, or to stir abroad again in ten days.†
- At his first coming on board us, he had so much forgot his language, for want of use, that we could scarce understand him: for he seemed to speak his words by halve.†
Definitions:
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(1)
(scarcity) shortage (having an amount that is less than desired)
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(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) More rarely (and typically in classic literature), scarce can be short for scarcely or hardly or barely or by a small margin -- such as in "She was scarce ten years old," or "I scarce know why."