| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| dearth |
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| PRONUNCIATION: | dûrth |
| NOUN: | 1. A scarce supply; a lack: the dearth of uncensored, firsthand information about the war (Richard Zoglin, Time February 4, 1991). 2. Shortage of food; famine. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English derthe, from Old English *d orthu, costliness, from d ore, costly. See dear1.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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