Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

Scant \Scant\, n.
   Scantness; scarcity. [R.] --T. Carew.

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.

Source : WordNet®

scant
     adj : less than the correct or legal or full amount often
           deliberately so; "a light pound"; "a scant cup of
           sugar"; "regularly gives short weight" [syn: {light}, {scant(p)},
            {short}]

scant
     v 1: work hastily or carelessly; deal with inadequately and
          superficially [syn: {skimp}]
     2: limit in quality or quantity [syn: {skimp}]
     3: supply sparingly and with restricted quantities; "sting with
        the allowance" [syn: {stint}, {skimp}]