Definitions for: Spare


[n] a score in tenpins; knocking down all ten after rolling two balls
[n] an extra car wheel and tire
[n] an extra component of a machine or other apparatus
[adj] lacking in amplitude or quantity; "a bare livelihood"; "a scanty harvest"; "a spare diet"
[adj] thin and fit; "the spare figure of a marathon runner"; "a body kept trim by exercise"
[adj] 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"
[adj] kept in reserve especially for emergency use; "a reserve supply of food"; "a spare tire"; "spare parts"
[adj] not taken up by scheduled activities; "a free hour between classes"; "spare time on my hands"
[adj] just sufficient; "the library had a spare but efficient look"
[v] use frugally or carefully
[v] to give up as not strictly needed: he asked if they could spare one of their horses to speed his journey.
[v] refrain from harming
[v] save or relieve from an experience or action; "I'll spare you from having to apologize formally"



Webster (1913) Definition: 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.


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.


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.


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.

Synonyms: bare(a), dispense with, excess, extra, fifth wheel, free, give up, lean, meager, meagerly, meagre, part with, redundant, reserve(a), save, scanty, spare part, sufficient, supererogatory, superfluous, supernumerary, surplus, thin, trim, unnecessary, unneeded, unoccupied

See Also: car wheel, component, constituent, element, exempt, expend, favor, favour, forbear, free, give, refrain, relieve, score, use

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