spare
to refrain from harming or destroying; leave uninjured; forbear to punish, hurt, or destroy: to spare one's enemy.
to deal gently or leniently with; show consideration for: His harsh criticism spared no one.
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.
to refrain from, forbear, omit, or withhold, as action or speech: Spare us the gory details.
to refrain from employing, as some instrument or recourse: to spare the rod.
to set aside for a particular purpose: to spare land for a garden.
to give or lend, as from a supply, especially without inconvenience or loss: Can you spare a cup of sugar?Can you spare me a dollar till payday?
to dispense with or do without: We can't spare a single worker during the rush hour.
to use economically or frugally; refrain from using up or wasting: A walnut sundae, and don't spare the whipped cream!
to have remaining as excess or surplus: We can make the curtains and have a yard to spare.
to use economy; be frugal.
to refrain from inflicting injury or punishment; exercise lenience or mercy.
Obsolete. to refrain from action; forbear.
kept in reserve, as for possible use: a spare part.
being in excess of present need; free for other use: How do you like to relax in your spare time?My travel adventures seem to soak up any spare cash I earn.
frugally restricted or meager, as a manner of living or a diet: a spare regime.
lean or thin, as a person.
scanty or scant, as in amount or fullness.
economical, moderate, or temperate, as persons; sparing.
a spare thing, part, etc., as an extra tire for emergency use.
Ceramics. an area at the top of a plaster mold for holding excess slip.
Bowling.
the knocking down of all the pins with two bowls.
a score so made.: Compare strike (def. 69).
Origin of spare
1synonym study For spare
Other words for spare
Other words from spare
- spare·a·ble, adjective
- spare·ly, adverb
- spare·ness, noun
- spar·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use spare in a sentence
Cara was a very lyrical writer, and I had to be sparer to maintain balance.
Without Her Twin: Christa Parravani’s Debut Memoir | Anthony Swofford | March 7, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTI had never remarked there before; and he looked sparer in person.
Wuthering Heights | Emily BrontePlusieurs autres causes agissent encore pour sparer les rochers dj crevasss, qui se trouvent l'extrieur des faces escarpes.
Theory of the Earth, Volume 2 (of 4) | James HuttonA somewhat sparer form, longer and more flowing hair, and features less stern and strong, may perhaps have characterized them.
When eaten, it will save the tissues already making up the body, hence is called a protein-sparer.
Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Management | Ministry of Education
Numisia Maximilla was much like an older Manlia, but sparer and of markedly haughty bearing and carriage.
The Unwilling Vestal | Edward Lucas White
British Dictionary definitions for spare
/ (spɛə) /
(tr) to refrain from killing, punishing, harming, or injuring
(tr) to release or relieve, as from pain, suffering, etc
(tr) to refrain from using: spare the rod, spoil the child
(tr) to be able to afford or give: I can't spare the time
(usually passive) (esp of Providence) to allow to survive: I'll see you again next year if we are spared
(intr) rare to act or live frugally
(intr) rare to show mercy
not spare oneself to exert oneself to the full
to spare more than is required: two minutes to spare
(often immediately postpositive) in excess of what is needed; additional: are there any seats spare?
able to be used when needed: a spare part
(of a person) thin and lean
scanty or meagre
(postpositive) British slang upset, angry, or distracted (esp in the phrase go spare)
a duplicate kept as a replacement in case of damage or loss
a spare tyre
tenpin bowling
the act of knocking down all the pins with the two bowls of a single frame
the score thus made: Compare strike (def. 40)
Origin of spare
1Derived forms of spare
- sparely, adverb
- spareness, noun
- sparer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with spare
In addition to the idioms beginning with spare
- spare the rod and spoil the child
- spare tire
also see:
- to spare
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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