| 释义 |
scarcity|ˈskɛəsɪtɪ|
Forms: 4–5 scarsete(e, skarsete, -cete, scharsete, (scarestee), 5 scarcete, -ie, 6 -sety, -cety, Sc. skaircetie, 7 skarsety; 4–5 scarste(e, 5 skarste; 4–6 scarsitee, 4–5 -citee, -site, skarsytee, 5 skersytye, scarcyte, -sytie, 5–6 -cite, -scitie, -ssite, 6 skarsyte, -sitie, -citie, scacity, 6–7 scarcitie, 5–7 -sitie, 6– scarcity.
[a. ONF. escarceté, Central OF. escharseté, f. esc(h)ars: see scarce a. and -ity.]
The quality, condition, or fact of being scarce.
†1. Frugality, parsimony; niggardliness, stinginess, meanness. Obs.
1340–70Alex. & Dind. 871 For almus-dede do ȝe non as ȝe demen alle, But skarsete & skaþe vn-skilfully fonden. c1386Chaucer Melib. ⁋634 For right as men blamen an Auaricious man by cause of his scarsetee and chyngerie, In the same wise [etc.]. 1484Caxton Fables of æsop v. xii, Thow dyest for honger by cause that thy mayster gyueth the no mete by his grete scarcyte. 1531Elyot Gov. iii. xxii, Althoughe I dispraysed nygarshyp and vicious scarsitee.
2. a. Insufficiency of supply; smallness of available quantity, number, or amount, in proportion to the need or demand.
13..K. Alis. 54795 (Bodl. MS.), Wexe to bygge in þis Cite, Of whiche hij hadden scarsete. c1450Brut 436 And tho was..grete scarste of corne and of othir vitaill. 1571Act 13 Eliz. c. 14 §1 The excessive pryce of Bowe Staves wch groweth principally by the Scarcitie of Bowe Staves brought into this Realme. 1599Nashe Lenten Stuffe 26 Of leade and tinne is the most scarsity in forraine dominions, and plenty with vs. 1651Reg. Commission Grt. Assemb. 5 Jan. (S.H.S.) III. 189 The scarsitie of ministers in Cathness and Orkney. 1760Johnson Idler No. 103 ⁋2 Value is more frequently raised by scarcity than by use. That which lay neglected when it was common, rises in estimation as its quantity becomes less. 1833H. Martineau Fr. Wines & Pol. v. 80 Now tell me..whether you think it a good thing or not that there should be a scarcity of wine? 1881W. Newton Serm. Boys & Girls 108 There was one year a great scarcity of rain.
b. attrib.: scarcity value, an enhanced value due to scarcity. So scarcity price, scarcity rent, etc.
1848Mill Pol. Econ. iii. iv. §6 (1876) 283 Things which cannot be increased ad libitum in quantity, and which therefore, if the demand goes beyond a certain amount, command a scarcity value. 1883Scarcity value [see monopoly value s.v. monopoly 8]. 1904Daily Chron. 8 Oct. 3/3 The taxability of scarcity rents and profits. 1920Times 5 June 15/3 Profits made on selling commodities at scarcity prices since then would escape the levy. 1936J. M. Keynes Gen. Theory Employment xxiv. 377 Our aim of depriving capital of its scarcity-value. 1972‘G. Black’ Bitter Tea (1973) x. 162 She was a blonde. They have a great time in the Orient, scarcity value.
¶c. Comparative fewness, small number (of something not desirable). rare.
1663Gerbier Counsel 93 The Hollanders..Vant of their scarcity of theeves..but attribute the same scarcity to that defence they..make against Theeves.
3. absol. Insufficiency of supply, in a community, of the necessaries of life, dearth. Also an instance of this, a period of scarcity, a dearth.
c1450Brut ccxxiv. 292 Þer folwyd in Engelond good chepe, and wonder grete plente of chaffaree, vitaile and marchaundice, and þere aȝens, honger, scrafte [? read scarste], mischif, and nede of money. 1584D. Powel Lloyd's Cambria 71 After such a famine there followed a Scarsitie in South Wales. 1686J. Scott Chr. Life ii. iv. §2 Wks. 1718 I. 271 All Hands are at work,..to store them [sc. apartments] all with Provision against the ensuing Time of Scarcity. 1781Gibbon Decl. & F. xxxi. III. 220 That unfortunate city gradually experienced the distress of scarcity, and at length the horrid calamities of famine. 1801Farmer's Mag. Jan. 23 It is short allowance alone that can then prevent a scarcity from ending in absolute famine. 1803Malthus Popul. iii. v. 399 These general reasonings have been strikingly confirmed during the late scarcities. 1908Q. Rev. July 224 Lesser visitations of scarcity have occurred in various provinces.
†4. Scantiness (of diet). Obs.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vi. xx. (1495) 207 In scarsetee of dyetes seke men fayllen moost. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 82 b, Scarcite in meate, and the bely alway somwhat hungry, is..praysed.
†5. Deficiency, shortcoming. Obs.
c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 364 In full euydence and open tooknynge þat god takiþ þis ordenance in his chirche as full sufficient, and in no wise fawtye in scarste or excesse þer-of. c1392Chaucer Compl. Venus 80 And ekke to me it is right gret penaunce Sith ryme in englisshe haþe suche skarsytee [v.rr. scarstee, scarestee, etc.] To folowen word by word þe curyosytee Of Graunsone flour of hem þat make in ffraunce. 1412–20Lydg. Troy Bk. ii. 168 Preying þe reder, wher any word myssit, Causyng þe metre to be halte or lame, For to correcte, to saue me fro blame: Late hym nat wayte after coryouste, Syth þat in ryme ynglysch hath skarsete [v.r. skersytye]. c1450― Secrees 872 Set in A meene of prudent governaunce, That ther be nouthir skarsete nor excesse, But a ryght Rewle of Attemperaunce.
†6. The condition of being slenderly or inadequately provided (const. of). Also absol., straitened condition with regard to means of living or comfort; penury, hardship. Obs.
1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 465 Þerfore it is good to lyve in good rule and in plente, and nouȝt in streiȝtnesse, scarsite, and meschief [Caxton, in strayte skarste and meschyef]. 1528Roy Rede me (Arb.) 93 Soche poverte is plente, For by it avoydynge scacite All welthynes they have. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. ii. 145 This king commandet to bring vpe the ȝouth wt al hardnes and skaircetie. 1599Hakluyt Voy. I. 599 Gunne-powder, whereof they were in great skarcitie. 1607Shakes. Timon ii. ii. 234 When he was poore, Imprison'd, and in scarsitie of Friends, I cleer'd him with fiue Talents. 1610― Temp. iv. i. 116 Scarcity and want shall shun you, Ceres' blessing so is on you.
7. In full, root of scarcity: the mangel-wurzel. Also scarcity plant, scarcity root.
For the origin of the name see mangel-wurzel.
1787J. Woodforde Diary 29 June (1926) II. 330 Sr. Willm Jernegan sent me by Mr. Custance a Treatise on the Plant called Scarcity Root. 1787,1789[see root n.1 3 b]. 1800[see mangel-wurzel β]. 1803A. Hunter's Georg. Ess. III. 109 Another new article which has been very lately introduced, is the Mangel Wurzel, or Scarcity Plant. 1856A. Gray Man. Bot. (1860) 367 Beta vulgaris, the Beet, with its varieties, the Scarcity and Mangel Wurtzel. |