spare

[ spair ]

/ spɛər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR spare ON THESAURUS.COM

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).

Nearby words

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

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.

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Related forms

spare·a·ble, adjectivespare·ly, adverbspare·ness, nounspar·er, noun

un·spared, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for spare

If the idea of a religious vigilante ambushing sex workers in his spare time sets off alarm bells, it probably should.
To Catch a Sex Worker: A&E’s Awful, Exploitative Ambush Show|Samantha Allen|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The group encompasses Byrne's art-rock solitariness and the dissociation effects in the spare—somewhat Godardian—staging.
The Stacks: Pauline Kael's Talking Heads Obsession|Pauline Kael|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
No personal significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us.
Lincoln Was the Founders’ Heir Apparent|Harvey J. Kaye|October 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He chose a corner spare room with good ventilation, and put aside a spare set of sheets and silverware, just in case.
Apocalypse Now: Preppers Are Gearing Up for Ebola|Nina Strochlic|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

So what if people with some spare cash order eggs Benedict made with jamón Ibérico and duck eggs?
Don’t Diss the Beauty of Brunch: Defending Our Favorite Meal|Tim Teeman|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Only in the absence of a common Gospel would each party have to take its own, and spare the other.
Studies of Christianity|James Martineau
Alice then spoke of mercy and peace to all men, and conjured me for my own sake to spare her destroyer.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, July, 1851|Various
We spare the reader a shocking scene of filial and parental reproaches.
Tales And Novels, Volume 7 (of 10)|Maria Edgeworth
During his spare time Johnny had delved into these and had been fascinated by the story of radium.
Riddle of the Storm|Roy J. Snell
Here is one close at hand, and as we have a few minutes to spare let us draw near and see what it is like.
Sidelights on Chinese Life|J. Macgowan

British Dictionary definitions for spare

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 usingspare the rod, spoil the child

(tr) to be able to afford or giveI can't spare the time

(usually passive) (esp of Providence) to allow to surviveI'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 requiredtwo minutes to spare

adjective

(often immediately postpositive) in excess of what is needed; additionalare there any seats spare?

able to be used when neededa 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 Formssparely, adverbspareness, nounsparer, noun

Word Origin for spare

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for spare (1 of 3)

spare

Old English sparian "to refrain from harming, to allow to go free," from the source of Old English spær "sparing, frugal," from Proto-Germanic *sparaz (cf. Old Frisian sparia, Old Norse spara, Old High German sparon "to spare"). Meaning "to dispense from one's own stock" is recorded from early 13c. Related: Spared; sparing.

Word Origin and History for spare (1 of 3)

spare

adj.

"kept in reserve, not used," late 14c., from spare (v.). Old English had spær "spare, frugal." In reference to time, from mid-15c.; sense of "flimsy, thin" is recorded from 1540s. Spare part is attested from 1888.

Word Origin and History for spare (2 of 3)

spare

"extra thing or part," 1640s, from spare (v.). Middle English noun sense was "mercy, leniency" (early 14c.). Bowling sense of "a knocking down of all pins in two bowls" is attested from 1849, American English.

Idioms and Phrases with spare

spare

In addition to the idioms beginning with spare

spare the rod and spoil the child
spare tire

also see:

to spare

spare

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

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

adjective, spar·er, spar·est.

noun

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British Dictionary definitions for spare

spare

verb

adjective

noun

Word Origin for spare

Word Origin and History for spare (1 of 3)

spare

Word Origin and History for spare (1 of 3)

spare

Word Origin and History for spare (2 of 3)

spare

Idioms and Phrases with spare

spare

spare

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

adjective, spar·er, spar·est.

noun

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spare

verb

adjective

noun

Word Origin for spare

Word Origin and History for spare (1 of 3)

spare

Word Origin and History for spare (1 of 3)

spare

Word Origin and History for spare (2 of 3)

spare

Idioms and Phrases with spare

spare

British Dictionary definitions for spare