scantling

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

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈskantlɪŋ/

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, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, The Essayes, […], printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:

     , 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.

   • Francis Bacon

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

   • Milton

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

   • Jeremy Taylor

     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.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Knight to this entry?)

• scantlings

scantling (comparative more scantling, superlative most scantling)

1. Not plentiful; small; scanty.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Jeremy Taylor to this entry?)

• cantlings