Want or scarcity of food in a country, etc.; dearth; famine. Obsolete or archaic.

Dearness, dearth.

A condition in which food is scarce and dear; often, in earlier use, a time of scarcity with its accompanying privations, a famine; now mostly…

Deficiency, lack, scarcity, want of (something specified). rare in plural. Also used absol. (like want) = want of food or necessaries. Obsolete.

Extreme and general scarcity of food, in a town, country, etc.; an instance of this, a period of extreme and general dearth.

Unproductiveness or sterility of the earth; hence, dearth, scarcity, famine.

An extreme shortage of food; a famine.

Famine, starvation.

The state of lacking the necessaries of life; penury; destitution. Also: †the condition of lacking food; starvation (obsolete).

absol. Scarcity of food or provisions. Obsolete.

With the. A period of scarcity just before the spring, when winter stocks have run low.

= famine, n. 1. Obsolete.

literal. Freedom from dirt or filth, purity, clearness. †cleanness of teeth: scarcity of food.