sparring

[spahr-ing]

noun

1. the act or process of boxing with light blows, or of training by practicing the motions of attack and defense.

   I’m heading to the boxing gym to get in some sparring.

   Wu shu as a sport takes mainly two forms: the dancelike practice of the routine exercise, and the sparring in duels.

2. the act or process of disputing or bandying words.

   After some final sparring between opposing counsel, the prosecution made its closing argument.

3. the act of striking or attacking with the feet or spurs, as fighting roosters do.

   To prevent injury during sparring, they even put foam rubber covers on the spurs of their gamecocks.

adjective

1. boxing with light blows, or practicing boxing motions of attack and defense.

   The place was packed with spectators cheering for the sparring boxers in the ring.

2. disputing or bandying words.

   The crew is a mix of personalities, from the friendly pilot to the constantly sparring pair of engineers who keep the ship running.

3. striking or attacking with the feet or spurs, as gamecocks do.

   This vintage table decoration features a pair of sparring roosters made of polished metal.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sparring¹

First recorded in 1625–35; spar ² ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; spar ² ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses

Example Sentences

Now, the two companies are sparring in federal bankruptcy court in Delaware.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Then again, it wouldn’t be the Ashes without a little verbal sparring.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But more than a year after fast-food wages were boosted, the impact is still being debated, with economists divided and the fast-food industry and unions sparring over its impact.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

I’d certainly never seen anything similar, the scale of it as a relationship — the nuance, the depth, the humor, the sparring and everything else in between.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

JBS shares have only been trading on the New York Stock Exchange since June after a two-year slog through regulatory filings, shareholder votes, and public sparring with activists.

Read more on Barron's