dearth

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Such a dearth was there of these latter articles, that anything, even a little child's story-book, or the half of a shipping calendar, appeared like a treasure.

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American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun A scarce supply; a lack: "the dearth of uncensored, firsthand information about the war” (Richard Zoglin).
  2. noun Shortage of food; famine.

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  • Such a dearth was there of these latter articles, that anything, even a little child's story-book, or the half of a shipping calendar, appeared like a treasure. —  Two Years Before the Mast
  • If it remained below this mark, the higher fields failed in obtaining a due supply of water, and a dearth was the result. —  History of Egypt From 330 B.C. To the Present Time, Volume 10 (of 12)
  • Their inappropriate costume quickly attracted attention, and became the subject of general conversation, and, such a dearth was there of excitement, Lord Spencer Hamilton aroused feverish interest by laying a wager that before the night was out he would have the two strangers walking arm in arm. —  Inns and Taverns of Old London
  • Such a dearth was there of these latter articles, that anything, even a little child's story-book, or the half of a shipping calendar, seemed a treasure. —  Two Years Before the Mast
  • War, dearth, and death that all things ends? —  England's Antiphon
 

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Dearth has been looked up 727 times, favorited once, listed 68 times, commented on 3 times, and has a Scrabble score of 10.

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View all »Etymologies (4)

American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English derthe, from Old English *dēorthu, costliness, from dēore, costly; see dear1.

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Pronunciations

/ (dûrth)/
ahd pronounces "dearth"
by American Heritage Dictionary

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