scantling

Alteration of scantillon +‎ -ling, from Old French escantillon (“sample pattern”) (Modern French échantillon). Later senses also influenced by similarity with scant.

• IPA^(key): /ˈskæntlɪŋ/

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• Hyphenation: scant‧ling

scantling (plural scantlings)

1. (chiefly in the plural) The set size or dimension of a piece of timber, stone etc., or materials used to build ships or aircraft.
2. (archaic) A small portion, a scant amount.
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, The Essayes […], London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
     , Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.204:

     For one may have particular knowledge of the nature of one river, and experience of the qualitie of one fountaine, that in other things knowes no more than another man: who neverthelesse to publish this little scantling, will undertake to write all of the Physickes.

   • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Honor and Reputation”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:

     Such as exceed not this scantling, to be solace to the sovereign and harmless to the people.

   • 1641 May, John Milton, Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England: And the Cavvses that hitherto have Hindred it; republished as Will Taliaferro Hale, editor, Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England (Yale Studies in English; LIV), New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1916, →OCLC:

     A pretty scantling of his knowledge may taken by his deferring to be baptized so many years.

   • 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:

     Reducing them to narrow scantlings.

3. A small, upright beam of timber used in construction, especially less than five inches square.
4. (uncountable) Timber in the form of small beams and pieces.
   • 1899, Kate Chopin, The Awakening:

     Victor, with hammer and nails and scraps of scantling, was patching a corner of one of the galleries.

5. (obsolete) A rough draught; a crude sketch or outline.
6. (obsolete) A frame for casks to lie upon; a trestle.
   • 1855, The Vine:

     These casks should be placed upon scantling or scaffolding , and not upon the ground in the cellar

• scantlings

scantling (comparative more scantling, superlative most scantling)

1. Not plentiful; small; scanty.
   • 1652, Edward Benlowes, Theophila:

     Heav'ns Glorie to atchieve, what scantling Span Hath the frail Pilgrimage of Man!

• “scantling”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

• cantlings