9 dictionary results for: spare
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
spare
[spair] Pronunciation Key, verb, spared, spar·ing, adjective, spar·er, spar·est, noun
—Related forms
[spair] Pronunciation Key, verb, spared, spar·ing, adjective, spar·er, spar·est, noun –verb (used with object)
–verb (used without object)
–adjective
–noun
| 1. | to refrain from harming or destroying; leave uninjured; forbear to punish, hurt, or destroy: to spare one's enemy. |
| 2. | to deal gently or leniently with; show consideration for: His harsh criticism spared no one. |
| 3. | to save from strain, discomfort, embarrassment, or the like, or from a particular cause of it: to spare him the bother; to spare her needless embarrassment. |
| 4. | to refrain from, forbear, omit, or withhold, as action or speech: Spare us the gory details. |
| 5. | to refrain from employing, as some instrument or recourse: to spare the rod. |
| 6. | to set aside for a particular purpose: to spare land for a garden. |
| 7. | to give or lend, as from a supply, esp. without inconvenience or loss: Can you spare a cup of sugar? Can you spare me a dollar till payday? |
| 8. | to dispense with or do without: We can't spare a single worker during the rush hour. |
| 9. | to use economically or frugally; refrain from using up or wasting: A walnut sundae, and don't spare the whipped cream! |
| 10. | to have remaining as excess or surplus: We can make the curtains and have a yard to spare. |
| 11. | to use economy; be frugal. |
| 12. | to refrain from inflicting injury or punishment; exercise lenience or mercy. |
| 13. | Obsolete. to refrain from action; forbear. |
| 14. | kept in reserve, as for possible use: a spare part. |
| 15. | being in excess of present need; free for other use: spare time. |
| 16. | frugally restricted or meager, as a manner of living or a diet: a spare regime. |
| 17. | lean or thin, as a person. |
| 18. | scanty or scant, as in amount or fullness. |
| 19. | sparing, economical, or temperate, as persons. |
| 20. | a spare thing, part, etc., as an extra tire for emergency use. |
| 21. | Ceramics. an area at the top of a plaster mold for holding excess slip. |
| 22. | Bowling.
|
[Origin: bef. 900; (v.) ME sparen, OE sparian; c. D, G sparen, ON spara; (n. and adj.) ME; cf. OE spær sparing, frugal (c. OHG spar, ON sparr
]
] —Related forms
spare·a·ble, adjective
sparely, adverb
spareness, noun
sparer, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| spare
(spâr) Pronunciation Key
v. spared, spar·ing, spares v. tr.
v. intr.
adj. spar·er, spar·est
n.
[Middle English sparen, from Old English sparian.] spare'ly adv., spare'ness n., spar'er n. |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
spare (v.)
spare (v.)
O.E. sparian "to refrain from harming, to allow to go free," from the source of O.E. spær "sparing, frugal," from P.Gmc. *sparaz (cf. O.Fris. sparia, O.N. spara, O.H.G. sparon "to spare"). Meaning "to dispense from one's own stock" is recorded from c.1225. The adj. meaning "additional, extra" is attested from c.1300. In ref. to time, from 1610; sense of "flimsy, thin" is recorded from c.1548. Spare part is attested from 1888. The noun meaning "extra thing or part" is from 1642. Bowling sense of "a knocking down of all pins in two bowls" is attested from 1849, Amer.Eng.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| spare | |
adjective | |
| 1. | thin and fit; "the spare figure of a marathon runner"; "a body kept trim by exercise" |
| 2. | more than is needed, desired, or required; "trying to lose excess weight"; "found some extra change lying on the dresser"; "yet another book on heraldry might be thought redundant"; "skills made redundant by technological advance"; "sleeping in the spare room"; "supernumerary ornamentation"; "it was supererogatory of her to gloat"; "delete superfluous (or unnecessary) words"; "extra ribs as well as other supernumerary internal parts"; "surplus cheese distributed to the needy" [syn: excess] |
| 3. | not taken up by scheduled activities; "a free hour between classes"; "spare time on my hands" |
| 4. | kept in reserve especially for emergency use; "a reserve supply of food"; "a spare tire"; "spare parts" |
| 5. | lacking in amplitude or quantity; "a bare livelihood"; "a scanty harvest"; "a spare diet" [syn: bare] |
| 6. | lacking embellishment or ornamentation; "a plain hair style"; "unembellished white walls"; "functional architecture featuring stark unornamented concrete" [syn: plain] |
noun | |
| 1. | an extra component of a machine or other apparatus [syn: spare part] |
| 2. | an extra car wheel and tire for a four-wheel vehicle [syn: fifth wheel] |
| 3. | a score in tenpins; knocking down all ten after rolling two balls |
verb | |
| 1. | refrain from harming |
| 2. | save or relieve from an experience or action; "I'll spare you from having to apologize formally" |
| 3. | give up what is not strictly needed; "he asked if they could spare one of their horses to speed his journey" |
| 4. | use frugally or carefully |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This
spare
In addition to the idioms beginning with spare, also see to spare.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Spare
Spare\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spared; p. pr. & vb. n. Sparing.] [AS. sparian, fr. sp[ae]r spare, sparing, saving; akin to D. & G. sparen, OHG. spar?n, Icel. & Sw. spara, Dan. spare See Spare, a.]1. To use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save. "No cost would he spare." --Chaucer. [Thou] thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare. --Milton. He that hath knowledge, spareth his words. --Prov. xvii. 27. 2. To keep to one's self; to forbear to impart or give. Be pleased your plitics to spare. --Dryden. Spare my sight the pain Of seeing what a world of tears it costs you. --Dryden. 3. To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to. Spare us, good Lord. --Book of Common Prayer. Dim sadness did not spare That time celestial visages. --Milton. Man alone can whom he conquers spare. --Waller. 4. To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty. All the time he could spare from the necessary cares of his weighty charge, he ?estowed on . . . serving of God. --Knolles. 5. To deprive one's self of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with. Where angry Jove did never spare One breath of kind and temperate air. --Roscommon. I could have better spared a better man. --Shak. To spare one's self. (a) To act with reserve. [Obs.] Her thought that a lady should her spare. --Chaucer. (b) To save one's self labor, punishment, or blame.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Spare
Spare\, v. i. 1. To be frugal; not to be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious. I, who at some times spend, at others spare, Divided between carelessness and care. --Pope. 2. To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance. He will not spare in the day of vengeance. --Prov. vi. 34. 3. To desist; to stop; to refrain. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Spare
Spare\, a. [Compar. Sparer; superl. Sparest; -- not used in all the senses of the word.] [AS. sp[ae]r sparing. Cf. Spare, v. t. ]1. Scanty; not abundant or plentiful; as, a spare diet. 2. Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; chary. He was spare, but discreet of speech. --Carew. 3. Being over and above what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous; as, I have no spare time. If that no spare clothes he had to give. --Spenser. 4. Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency; as, a spare anchor; a spare bed or room. 5. Lean; wanting flesh; meager; thin; gaunt. O, give me the spare men, and spare me the great ones. --Shak. 6. Slow. [Obs. or prov. Eng.] --Grose.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Spare
Spare\, n. 1. The act of sparing; moderation; restraint. [Obs.] Killing for sacrifice, without any spare. --Holland. 2. Parsimony; frugal use. [Obs.] --Bacon. Poured out their plenty without spite or spare. --Spenser. 3. An opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket. [Obs.] 4. That which has not been used or expended. 5. (Tenpins) The right of bowling again at a full set of pins, after having knocked all the pins down in less than three bowls. If all the pins are knocked down in one bowl it is a double spare; in two bowls, a single spare.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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