hardscrabble, marginal

Meager \Mea"ger\, Meagre \Mea"gre\, a. [OE. merge, F. maigre, L.
   macer; akin to D. & G. mager, Icel. magr, and prob. to Gr.
   makro`s long. Cf. {Emaciate}, {Maigre}.]
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   1. Destitue of, or having little, flesh; lean.
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            Meager were his looks;
            Sharp misery had worn him to the bones. --Shak.
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   2. Destitute of richness, fertility, strength, or the like;
      defective in quantity, or poor in quality; poor; barren;
      scanty in ideas; wanting strength of diction or affluence
      of imagery; as, meager resources; meager fare. Opposite of
      {ample}. [WordNet sense 1] [Narrower terms: {exiguous}]
      [Narrower terms: {hardscrabble, marginal}] [Narrower
      terms: {measly, miserable, paltry}] "Meager soil."
      --Dryden.

   Syn: meagre, meagerly, scanty.
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              Of secular habits and meager religious belief.
                                                  --I. Taylor.
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              His education had been but meager.  --Motley.
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   3. (Min.) Dry and harsh to the touch, as chalk.
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   4. less than a desirable amount; -- of items distributed from
      a larger supply. [WordNet sense 2]

   Syn: scrimpy, skimpy, skimping.
        [WordNet 1.5]

   Syn: Thin; lean; lank; gaunt; starved; hungry; poor;
        emaciated; scanty; barren.
        [1913 Webster] Meager