few and far between

Attested at least since the 17th century. Was originally reserved for physical objects, such as houses, appearing with wide gaps between, but today it is also applied to more abstract things. Being rare also implies that the average gaps between the objects are wide.

• "There are, of course, exceptions to every rule, and I have met several lamas, notably the Phodong Lama of Sikhim and others like him, men who were thoroughly capable, who acted up to their principles, and whom I thoroughly respected, but I am sorry to say such men were few and far between."
• "On a line like the Santa Fe, in such desert country as that on the Chicago-Los Angeles main line through Arizona and New Mexico, stations are few and far between, and at many of them one or two employees are the only permanent staff."
• "As with other railways, more Mk 1s are urgently required but disposals by BR are few and far between at present."
• "The gear change never happened and although chances were few and far between in the second half it looked like below-par Arsenal would escape the DW Stadium with three points - especially when N'Zogbia was sent off with 12 minutes to play."

• thin on the ground
• deficient
• in short supply
• wanting
• lacking
• uncommon
• ;
• rare
• dearthy
• few and far between
• geason
• infrequent
• in short supply
• rare
• raresome
• scant
• scantling
• scarce
• selcouth
• seld
• seldom
• selly
• superrare
• uncommon
• unfrequent

• far and wide
• thick on the ground
• common
• widespread
• abundant
• ;
• ubiquitous

• thick and fast