I. ˈsper verb
( spared ; spar·ing )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sparian; akin to Old High German sparōn to spare, Old English spær, adjective, scant
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1. : to forbear to destroy, punish, or harm
2. : to refrain from attacking or reprimanding with necessary or salutary severity
3. : to relieve of the necessity of doing or undergoing something
spare yourself the trouble
4. : to refrain from : avoid
spared no expense
5. : to use or dispense frugally — used chiefly in the negative
don't spare the syrup
6.
a. : to give up as not strictly needed
do you have any cash to spare
b. : to have left over or as margin
time to spare
intransitive verb
1. : to be frugal
2. : to refrain from doing harm
• spare·able -ə-bəl adjective
• spar·er noun
II. adjective
( spar·er ; spar·est )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English spær sparing, scant; akin to Old High German spar spare
Date: 14th century
1. : not being used ; especially : held for emergency use
a spare tire
2. : being over and above what is needed : superfluous
spare time
3. : not liberal or profuse : sparing
a spare prose style
4. : healthily lean
5. : not abundant or plentiful
Synonyms: see lean , meager
• spare·ly adverb
• spare·ness noun
III. noun
Date: 1907
1.
a. : a spare tire
b. : a duplicate (as a key or a machine part) kept in reserve
2. : the knocking down of all 10 pins with the first 2 balls in a frame in bowling