deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand
Fresh vegetables were scarce during the drought.
source: WordNet 3.0
Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon.
source: Webster 1913
adverb
only a very short time before
They could barely hear the speaker. We hardly knew them. Just missed being hit. Had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open. Would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave.
source: WordNet 3.0
With difficulty; hardly; scantly; barely; but just.
