Scandia to Scarce
Scandia
(Scan"di*a) n. [NL. See Scandium.] (Chem.) A chemical earth, the oxide of scandium.
Scandic
(Scan"dic) a. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to scandium; derived from, or containing, scandium.
Scandinavian
(Scan`di*na"vi*an) a. Of or pertaining to Scandinavia, that is, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
— n. A native or inhabitant of Scandinavia.
Scandium
(Scan"di*um) n. [NL. So called because found in Scandinavian minerals.] (Chem.) A rare
metallic element of the boron group, whose existence was predicted under the provisional name ekaboron
by means of the periodic law, and subsequently discovered by spectrum analysis in certain rare Scandinavian
minerals (euxenite and gadolinite). It has not yet been isolated. Symbol Sc. Atomic weight 44.
Scansion
(Scan"sion) n. [L. scansio, fr. scandere, scansum, to climb. See Scan.] (Pros.) The act
of scanning; distinguishing the metrical feet of a verse by emphasis, pauses, or otherwise.
Scansores
(||Scan*so"res) n. pl. [NL., fr. L. scandere, scansum, to climb.] (Zoöl.) An artifical group of
birds formerly regarded as an order. They are distributed among several orders by modern ornithologists.
The toes are in pairs, two before and two behind, by which they are enabled to cling to, and climb upon,
trees, as the woodpeckers, parrots, cuckoos, and trogons. See Illust. under Aves.
Scansorial
(Scan*so"ri*al) a. (Zoöl.) (a) Capable of climbing; as, the woodpecker is a scansorial bird; adapted
for climbing; as, a scansorial foot. (b) Of or pertaining to the Scansores. See Illust.. under Aves.
Scansorial tail (Zoöl.), a tail in which the feathers are stiff and sharp at the tip, as in the woodpeckers.
Scant
(Scant) a. [Compar. Scanter ; superl. Scantest.] [Icel. skamt, neuter of skamr, skammr,
short; cf. skamta to dole out, to portion.]
1. 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. 2. Sparing; parsimonious; chary.
Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence.
Shak. Syn. — See under Scanty.
Scant
(Scant), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Scanting.]
1. To limit; to straiten; to treat illiberally; to stint; as, to scant one in provisions; to scant ourselves in the
use of necessaries.
Where a man hath a great living laid together and where he is scanted.
Bacon.
I am scanted in the pleasure of dwelling on your actions.
Dryden. 2. To cut short; to make small, narrow, or scanty; to curtail. "Scant not my cups." Shak.
Scant
(Scant), v. i. To fail, or become less; to scantle; as, the wind scants.
Scant
(Scant), adv. In a scant manner; with difficulty; scarcely; hardly. [Obs.] Bacon.
So weak that he was scant able to go down the stairs.
Fuller.
