scarceness

The river was the only resource, and from the scarceness of hooks the supply of fish obtainable was rather scanty.

It has been hinted that there was a reason for the scarceness of the plums in the plum-cake.

Scarceness is what there is the biggest stock 40 of in the country.

Scarceness o' victual 'ull keep; there's no need to be hasty wi' the cooking.

When the war broke out in 1793, the usual scarceness of seamen was met.