What does it mean to stint?

To stint means to provide something in limited or inadequate amounts; it carries the connotation of being frugal or stingy. When someone stints, they are not generous with their resources—this could refer to time, money, or effort—which aligns perfectly with the idea of supplying sparingly and with restricted quantities.

In contexts where one might expect abundance, a stanza of stinted support suggests a deliberate withholding or limitation, leading to an insufficiency. Therefore, the definition connects deeply with notions of scarcity and conservatism in resource allocation, emphasizing the constrained nature of what is provided.

This understanding also helps clarify why the other options do not fit. Providing abundantly and without limitations implies generosity, which is the opposite of stenting. Wasting resources freely suggests a lack of care or concern for quantity, once again contrasting sharply with the idea of limited provision. Lastly, distributing evenly among many suggests fairness and equality rather than the restriction that stenting connotes.