dearth UK /dɜːθ/US /dɝθ/noun 3verb 1forms 3 noun3 •A period or condition when food is rare and hence expensive; famine. •Scarcity; a lack or short supply.And faine would hee, if he could tell how, haue plentie in his own fields, and scarcity in other mens; superfluitie at home, and dearth abroade, that hee might sell his corne at the dearer rate — 1634 •(no longer used) Dearness; the quality of being rare or costly.The property of Contraries is, that they become one anothers Cure, whereupon we who have suffered by scarcity and dearth, do pray to be relieved by their contraries, cheapness and plenty — 1676 verb1 •(no longer used, old-fashioned) To cause or produce a scarcity in something. formsdearthed · dearthing · dearths
