Word · Frequency #6882
scarcest
刚刚；才
scarcest is the superlative of scarce.
only a very short time before
- 1.
only a very short time before; ; ; ; ; - W.B.Yeats
就在不久之前
就在不久之前
In use
She had scarce closed the door when the phone rang.
I had scarce finished my coffee before the taxi arrived.
They had scarce left the house when it started to rain.
would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave
had scarce + past participle + when + clause
表示两个动作紧接着发生，相当于“刚…就…”。
He had scarce finished his meal when the phone rang.
他刚吃完饭，电话就响了。
scarce had + subject + past participle + when + clause
“scarce had”是倒装结构，常见于正式语境。
Scarce had she entered the room when the lights went out.
她刚走进房间，灯就熄灭了。
Common mistakes
I can't scarce believe it.I can scarce believe it.
‘scarce’作为副词已含否定意义，不能再与‘not’连用。应去掉‘not’，或用‘hardly’替换‘scarce’（如‘I can hardly believe it.’）。
I believe it scarce.I scarce believe it.
副词‘scarce’应置于所修饰动词之前，而非句末。
Connections
Collocations
- scarce had ... when
- 刚……就……
- Scarce had the guests arrived when the fire broke out.客人们刚到，火灾就发生了。
- scarce ... ago
- 就在……之前
- Scarce a month ago, the two countries were at peace.就在一个月前，两国还处于和平状态。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
联想：scarce 含 scar（伤疤），伤疤刚留下，所以副词 scarce 表示“刚刚”。
Context & Register
语域：formal 常见场景：literary/poetic writing、older formal texts scarce 作副词表示“刚刚；才”时，通常用于较老的文学作品或诗歌中，现代日常英语很少用；比较常见于正式、书面或带文学色彩的语境。
Grammar Note
作为副词，表示‘刚刚，几乎不’，常置于动词前或助动词后。
Pronunciation & Spelling
没有常见英语单词与 scarce /skɛrs/ 完全押韵（/ɛr/ 后接清音 /s/ 的组合很罕见）。scarce 的词首与 scare 相同，均为 /skɛr/，但 scare 末尾没有 /s/。farce、sparse、parse 拼写相近，但元音都是美式 /ɑ/，读作 /fɑrs/、/spɑrs/、/pɑrs/，与 /ɛ/ 不同。verse、nurse 中的 -erse/-urse 读 /ɜrs/，也不是 /ɛrs/。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 2，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.