I. ˈspär, -pȧ(r transitive verb
( sparred ; sparred ; sparring ; spars )
Etymology: partly from Middle English sperren, from Middle Dutch; partly from Middle English sparren, from Old English ge sparrian; akin to Middle Dutch & Old High German sperren to bolt, lock, hamper, Old Norse sperra to bolt, bar, sparri beam, rafter — more at spar II
1. archaic : bolt , bar , fasten
2.
a. obsolete : shut , close
b. obsolete : to shut up : enclose
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English sparre; akin to Middle Dutch sparre beam, rafter, Old High German sparro, Old Norse sparri beam, rafter, Old English spere spear — more at spear
1. archaic : rafter
2.
a. : a pole or moderately thick piece of timber
b. : a stout rounded typically solid piece of wood or metal (as a mast, boom, gaff, yard) used to support rigging — see ship illustration
c.
(1) : one of the main longitudinal members of the wing of an airplane that carry the ribs
(2) : longeron
3. : a thin doubled stick used in fastening thatch on roofs
III. transitive verb
( sparred ; sparred ; sparring ; spars )
: to move or assist (a stranded ship) with a spar or with spar and tackle
IV. verb
( sparred ; sparred ; sparring ; spars )
Etymology: probably alteration of spur (II)
intransitive verb
1. : to strike or fight with the feet or spurs like a gamecock
2. : to contest in words : wrangle
the gabble of the vegetable men as they sparred with women at the open stalls outside their stores — Hortense Calisher
3.
a. : box ; especially : to make offensive and defensive gestures without landing a blow in order to draw one's opponent and find or create an opening
b. : to engage in a practice or exhibition bout especially of scientific boxing with a sparring partner
4. : to engage in a skirmish
along the ground front … troops sparred in scattered fights — New York Times
5. : to move or act slowly or inconclusively : stall
seems to spar for time by asking that questions be repeated — Jerome Frank
transitive verb
: to teach (a gamecock) to fight : train for fighting
V. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : a movement of offense or defense in boxing
b. : a sparring match or session
2. : a wrangle or dispute especially between well-matched opponents : a contest of thrust and counter
VI. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Low German, from Middle Low German; akin to Old English spær stān gypsum, chalk, spæren of plaster
: any of various nonmetallic usually cleavable and somewhat lustrous minerals ; especially : such a mineral occurring as gangue in a metalliferous vein — compare calcspar , feldspar , fluorite
VII. noun
( -s )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: from S emper Par atus, motto of the United States Coast Guard from New Latin, always ready
: a member of the Women's Reserve of the United States Coast Guard formed during World War II