spare

[ spair ]

/ spɛər /

verb (used with object), spared, spar·ing.

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.

verb (used without object), spared, spar·ing.

to use economy; be frugal.

to refrain from inflicting injury or punishment; exercise lenience or mercy.

Obsolete. to refrain from action; forbear.

adjective, spar·er, spar·est.

kept in reserve, as for possible use: a spare part.

being in excess of present need; free for other use: spare time.

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.

noun

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

before 900; (v.) Middle English sparen, Old English sparian; cognate with Dutch, German sparen, Old Norse spara; (noun and adj.) Middle English; compare Old English spær sparing, frugal (cognate with Old High German spar, Old Norse sparr

SYNONYMS FOR spare

6 reserve.

14, 15 extra.

17 See thin.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR spare ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM spare

spare·a·ble, adjective spare·ly, adverb spare·ness, noun spar·er, noun

un·spared, adjective

Words nearby spare

spar with, sparable, sparagmos, sparassis, sparaxis, spare, spare part, spare the rod and spoil the child, spare tire, spare tyre, spare-part surgery

Example sentences from the Web for spareness

Indeed, the spareness of their coverings was a matter of some regret and anxiety on Percival's part.

Under False Pretences |Adeline Sergeant
Modern simplicity must show the spareness of asceticism, not the leanness of anmia.

Essays |Arthur Christopher Benson
The well-rounded form took away all hint of spareness, while it did not destroy the promise of endurance.

Winning the Wilderness |Margaret Hill McCarter
The spareness of our forces was thus betrayed by this meeting, which was in effect a council of despair.

Hurricane Island |H. B. Marriott Watson

By the way, is it not possible that the spareness and slenderness of your person may be owing to the same cause?

The Works of William Cowper |William Cowper

British Dictionary definitions for spareness

spare

/ (spɛə) /

verb

(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

adjective

(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)

noun

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 madeCompare strike (def. 40)

Derived forms of spare

sparely, adverb spareness, noun sparer, noun

Word Origin for spare

Old English sparian to refrain from injuring; related to Old Norse spara, Old High German sparōn

Idioms and Phrases with spareness

spare

In addition to the idioms beginning with spare

spare the rod and spoil the child
spare tire

also see:

to spare

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

spare

verb (used with object), spared, spar·ing.

verb (used without object), spared, spar·ing.

adjective, spar·er, spar·est.

noun

Origin of spare

SYNONYMS FOR spare

OTHER WORDS FROM spare

Words nearby spare

Example sentences from the Web for spareness

British Dictionary definitions for spareness

verb

adjective

noun

Derived forms of spare

Word Origin for spare

Idioms and Phrases with spareness

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

spare

verb (used with object), spared, spar·ing.

verb (used without object), spared, spar·ing.

adjective, spar·er, spar·est.

noun

Origin of spare

SYNONYMS FOR spare

OTHER WORDS FROM spare

Words nearby spare

Words related to spareness

Example sentences from the Web for spareness

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for spareness

verb

adjective

noun

Derived forms of spare

Word Origin for spare

Idioms and Phrases with spareness

British Dictionary definitions for spareness