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View synonyms for spar

spar

1

[ spahr ]

noun

  1. Nautical. a stout pole such as those used for masts, etc.; a mast, yard, boom, gaff, or the like.
  2. Aeronautics. a principal lateral member of the framework of a wing of an airplane.


verb (used with object)

, sparred, spar·ring.
  1. to provide or make with spars.

spar

2

[ spahr ]

verb (used without object)

, sparred, spar·ring.
  1. (of boxers) to make the motions of attack and defense with the arms and fists, especially as a part of training.
  2. to box, especially with light blows.
  3. to strike or attack with the feet or spurs, as gamecocks do.
  4. to bandy words; dispute.

noun

  1. a motion of sparring.
  2. a boxing match.
  3. a dispute.

spar

3

[ spahr ]

noun

  1. any of various more or less lustrous crystalline minerals, as fluorspar or feldspar.

SPAR

4
or Spar

[ spahr ]

noun

  1. (during World War II) a woman enlisted in the women's reserve of the U.S. Coast Guard (disbanded in 1946).

SpAr

5

abbreviation for

spar

1

/ spɑː /

verb

  1. boxing martial arts to fight using light blows, as in training
  2. to dispute or argue
  3. (of gamecocks) to fight with the feet or spurs


noun

  1. an unaggressive fight
  2. an argument or wrangle
  3. informal.
    a close friend

spar

2

/ spɑː /

noun

    1. any piece of nautical gear resembling a pole and used as a mast, boom, gaff, etc
    2. ( as modifier )

      a spar buoy

  1. a principal supporting structural member of an aerofoil that runs from tip to tip or root to tip

spar

3

/ spɑː /

noun

  1. any of various minerals, such as feldspar or calcite, that are light-coloured, microcrystalline, transparent to translucent, and easily cleavable spathic

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Other Words From

  • sparlike adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of spar1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English spar(r)e, sperre, sper “a board, rafter, beam”; cognate with German Sparren, Dutch, Frisian spar, Old Norse sparri

Origin of spar2

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English spar(r)en “to go quickly, rush, dart, thrust”; further origin unknown

Origin of spar3

First recorded in 1575–85; from Middle Low German spar, sper; akin to Old English spær(stān) “gypsum, chalk”

Origin of spar4

1942; < Latin S ( emper ) par ( ātus ) “Always ready” the Coast Guard motto

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Word History and Origins

Origin of spar1

Old English, perhaps from spur

Origin of spar2

C13: from Old Norse sperra beam; related to Old High German sparro, Old French esparre

Origin of spar3

C16: from Middle Low German spar; related to Old English spærstān; see feldspar

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Example Sentences

I finished the counter using four one-by-eight fir planks that I sanded and sealed with two coats of marine-grade spar varnish and then buffed to a glossy shine.

Spar has a new book titled The Baby Business: How Money, Science and Politics Drive the Commerce of Conception.

Asked if the ability to reproduce should be a human right, Spar said she would leave that for the philosophers to think about.

But an island any less menacing would fail to breed a villain who could hope to spar with James Bond.

But Cruz followed Lee on the Senate floor to spar with McCain.

By Monday, however, Santorum had learned to deflect questions on hot-button social issues rather than spar with potential voters.

Presently the bowman uttered a thrilling shout, for, through the turmoil of dashing spray, he saw the man clinging to a spar!

The canvas was torn from the yards, and spar after spar fell, until nothing but the masts remained.

On the third round the sail was pulled down and the spar housed, but it was too late in the day to pick up the first flight.

And logs were chained fast around the vessel so that no torpedo spar could reach her.

At the bow of this launch was a long spar, and at the end of this spar was a torpedo holding a hundred pounds of dynamite.

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