%scant%

n. [ OF. descant, deschant, F. déchant, discant, LL. discantus, fr. L. dis + cantus singing, melody, fr. canere to sing. See Chant, and cf. Descant, v. i., Discant. ] 1. (Mus.) (a) Originally, a double song; a melody or counterpoint sung above the plain song of the tenor; a variation of an air; a variation by ornament of the main subject or plain song. (b) The upper voice in part music. (c) The canto, cantus, or soprano voice; the treble. Grove. [ 1913 Webster ]

Twenty doctors expound one text twenty ways, as children make descant upon plain song. Tyndale. [ 1913 Webster ]

She [ the nightingale ] all night long her amorous descant sung. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The term has also been used synonymously with counterpoint, or polyphony, which developed out of the French déchant, of the 12th century. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A discourse formed on its theme, like variations on a musical air; a comment or comments. [ 1913 Webster ]

Upon that simplest of themes how magnificent a descant! De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Descanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Descanting. ] [ From descant; n.; or directly fr. OF. descanter, deschanter; L. dis- + cantare to sing. ] 1. To sing a variation or accomplishment. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To comment freely; to discourse with fullness and particularity; to discourse at large. [ 1913 Webster ]

A virtuous man should be pleased to find people descanting on his actions. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who descants. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Descant, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Scantness; scarcity. [ R. ] T. Carew. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

His sermon was scant, in all, a quarter of an hour. Ridley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Sparing; parsimonious; chary. [ 1913 Webster ]

Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See under Scanty. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where a man hath a great living laid together and where he is scanted. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am scanted in the pleasure of dwelling on your actions. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cut short; to make small, narrow, or scanty; to curtail. “Scant not my cups.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To fail, or become less; to scantle; as, the wind scants. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a scant manner; with difficulty; scarcely; hardly. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

So weak that he was scant able to go down the stairs. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a scanty manner; not fully; not plentifully; sparingly; parsimoniously. [ 1913 Webster ]

His mind was very scantily stored with materials. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality or condition of being scanty. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Dim. of scant, v. ] To be deficient; to fail. [ Obs. ] Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OF. escanteler, eschanteler, to break into contles; pref. es- (L. ex) + cantel, chantel, corner, side, piece. Confused with E. scant. See Cantle. ] To scant; to be niggard of; to divide into small pieces; to cut short or down. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

All their pay
Must your discretion scantle; keep it back. J. Webster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. eschantelet corner. ] A small pattern; a small quantity. [ Obs. ] Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Scant, a. ] Not plentiful; small; scanty. [ Obs. ] Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. eschantillon, F. échantillon, a sample, pattern, example. In some senses confused with scant insufficient. See Scantle, v. t. ] 1. A fragment; a bit; a little piece. Specifically: (a) A piece or quantity cut for a special purpose; a sample. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Such as exceed not this scantling; -- to be solace to the sovereign and harmless to the people. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

A pretty scantling of his knowledge may taken by his deferring to be baptized so many years. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) A small quantity; a little bit; not much. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Reducing them to narrow scantlings. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A piece of timber sawed or cut of a small size, as for studs, rails, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The dimensions of a piece of timber with regard to its breadth and thickness; hence, the measure or dimensions of anything. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A rough draught; a rude sketch or outline. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A frame for casks to lie upon; a trestle. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a scant manner; not fully or sufficiently; narrowly; penuriously. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Scarcely; hardly; barely. [ 1913 Webster ]

Scantly they durst their feeble eyes dispread
Upon that town. Fairfax. [ 1913 Webster ]

We hold a tourney here to-morrow morn,
And there is scantly time for half the work. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or condition of being scant; narrowness; smallness; insufficiency; scantiness. “Scantness of outward things.” Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Scantier superl. Scantiest. ] [ From Scant, a. ] 1. Lacking amplitude or extent; narrow; small; not abundant. [ 1913 Webster ]

His dominions were very narrow and scanty. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now scantier limits the proud arch confine. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Somewhat less than is needed; insufficient; scant; as, a scanty supply of words; a scanty supply of bread. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Sparing; niggardly; parsimonious. [ 1913 Webster ]

In illustrating a point of difficulty, be not too scanty of words. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Scant; narrow; small; poor; deficient; meager; scarce; chary; sparing; parsimonious; penurious; niggardly; grudging. [ 1913 Webster ]