小词详解 | scarce

scarce 英 [skeəs] 美 [skers]

• After an initial focus on renting spare beds in cities during conferences, when hotel rooms were scarce, the startup expanded into rental of entire properties.
  一开始，这家创业公司主要是在大型会议期间酒店房间稀缺时出租市内房屋里的空床，后来扩展到出租整套物业。
  ——《经济学人》
• With food scarce and the government unable to provide through its rationing program, North Koreans began turning away from the official, centrally planned economy.
  由于粮食短缺，政府无法通过配给计划提供粮食，朝鲜人开始放弃官方的中央计划经济。
  ——《纽约时报》

• It probably would be a good idea if you made yourself scarce.
  你最好回避一下。

• scared 害怕的、惊恐的
• sacred 神圣的、受崇敬的、不容侵犯的
• sarcastic 讽刺的、嘲讽的、挖苦的

There is something that is much more scarce, something finer far, something rarer than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability.
比才能更难得、更美好、更珍贵的东西是识别才能的才能。

• scanty: too little in amount for what is needed
• meager: (of something provided or available) lacking in quantity or quality
• deficient: not having enough of a specified quality or ingredient