scarce

adj. 1 (usu. Predic.) (esp. Of food, money, etc.) In short supply. 2 rare. adv. Archaic or literary scarcely.  make oneself scarce colloq. Keep out of the way; surreptitiously disappear. [french scars latin excerpto *excerpt]

superl. Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon.