Definitions for spare
spɛərspare

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. spare part, sparenoun

   an extra component of a machine or other apparatus

2. fifth wheel, sparenoun

   an extra car wheel and tire for a four-wheel vehicle

3. spareadjective

   a score in tenpins; knocking down all ten after rolling two balls

4. spare, trimadjective

   thin and fit

   "the spare figure of a marathon runner"; "a body kept trim by exercise"

5. excess, extra, redundant, spare, supererogatory, superfluous, supernumerary, surplusadjective

   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"

6. spare, freeadjective

   not taken up by scheduled activities

   "a free hour between classes"; "spare time on my hands"

7. spareadjective

   kept in reserve especially for emergency use

   "a reserve supply of food"; "a spare tire"; "spare parts"

8. bare(a), scanty, spareadjective

   lacking in amplitude or quantity

   "a bare livelihood"; "a scanty harvest"; "a spare diet"

9. plain, bare, spare, unembellished, unornamentedverb

   lacking embellishment or ornamentation

   "a plain hair style"; "unembellished white walls"; "functional architecture featuring stark unornamented concrete"

10. spare, saveverb

    refrain from harming

11. spareverb

    save or relieve from an experience or action

    "I'll spare you from having to apologize formally"

12. spare, give up, part with, dispense withverb

    give up what is not strictly needed

    "he asked if they could spare one of their horses to speed his journey"

13. spareverb

    use frugally or carefully

GCIDE(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Sparenoun

   (Bowling) The act of knocking down all ten pins in two bowls, which entitles the bowler to add the number of pins knocked down in the next bowl to the score for the frame in which the spare occurred.

2. Sparenoun

   (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. For the meaning in modern bowling, see sense 6.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Spareadjective

   1. Scanty; not abundant; parcimonious.

   He was spare, but discreet of speech; better conceiving than delivering; equally stout and kind Richard Carew, Surv. of Cornwal.

   Men ought to beware, that they use not exercise and a spare diet both. Francis Bacon, Natural History.

   Join with thee calm peace and quiet;
   Spare fast, that oft with gods doth diet. John Milton.

   The masters of the world were bred up with spare diet; and the young gentlemen of Rome felt no want of strength, because they ate but once a day. John Locke.

   2. Superfluous; unwanted.

   If that no spare cloths he had to give,
   His own coat he would cut, and it distribute glad. F. Q.

   As any of our sick waxed well, he might be removed; for which purpose there were set forth ten spare chambers. Francis Bacon.

   Learning seems more adapted to the female world than to the male, because they have more spare time upon their hands, and lead a more sedentary life. Joseph Addison, Spectator.

   In my spare hours you’ve had your part;
   Ev’n now my servile hand your sovereign will obeys. John Norris.

   3. Lean; wanting flesh; macilent.

   O give me your spare men, and spare me the great ones. Sh.

   If my name were liable to fear,
   I do not know the man I should avoid
   So soon as that spare Cassius. William Shakespeare, Julius Cæsar.

   His visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare,
   His arms clung to his ribs. John Milton, Parad. Lost.

2. Sparenoun

   Parcimony; frugal use; husbandry. Not in use.

   Etymology: from the verb.

   Our victuals failed us, though we had made good spare of them. Francis Bacon.

3. To SPAREverb

   Etymology: sparan , Saxon; spaeren, Dutch; espargne, French.

   1. To use frugally; not to waste; not to consume.

   Thou thy father’s thunder didst not spare. John Milton.

   2. To have unemployed; to save from any particular use.

   All the time he could spare from the necessary cares of his weighty charge he bestowed on prayer, and serving of God: he oftentimes spent the night alone in church-praying, his head-piece, gorget, and gauntlets lying by him. Richard Knolles.

   He had no bread to spare. Roger L'Estrange.

   Only the foolish virgins entertained this foolish conceit, that there might be an overplus of grace sufficient to supply their want; but the wise knew not of any that they had to spare, but supposed all that they had little enough. John Tillotson.

   Let a pamphlet come in a proper juncture, and every one who can spare a shilling shall be a subscriber. Jonathan Swift.

   3. To do without; to lose willingly.

   I could have better spar’d a better man. William Shakespeare, Hen. IV.

   For his mind, I do not care,
   That’s a toy that I could spare;
   Let his title be but great,
   His clothes rich, and band sit neat. Ben Jonson.

   Sense of pleasure we may well
   Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine;
   But pain is perfect misery. John Milton.

   Now she might spare the ocean, and oppose
   Your conduct to the fiercest of her foes. Edmund Waller.

   The fair blessing we vouchsafe to send;
   Nor can we spare you long, tho’ often we may lend. Dryd.

   4. To omit; to forbear.

   We might have spar’d our coming. John Milton.

   Be pleas’d your politicks to spare;
   I’m old enough, and can myself take care. Dryden.

   5. To use tenderly; to forbear; to treat with pity; not to afflict; not to destroy; to use with mercy.

   Spare us, good Lord. Common Prayer.

   Who will set the discipline of wisdom over mine heart, that they spare me not for my ignorances? Ecclus xxiii. 2.

   Doth not each look a flash of lightning feel!
   Which spares the body’s sheath, but melts the steel. John Cleveland.

   Dim sadness did not spare
   Celestial visages. John Milton.

   Less pleasure take brave minds in battles won
   Than in restoring such as are undone:
   Tygers have courage, and the rugged bear;
   But man alone can whom he conquers spare. Edmund Waller.

   Spare me one hour! O spare me but a moment. Irene.

   6. To grant; to allow; to indulge.

   Set me in the remotest place,
   That Neptune’s frozen arms embrace;
   Where angry Jove did never spare
   One breath of kind and temperate air. Wentworth Dillon.

   7. To forbear to inflict or impose.

   Spare my remembrance; ’twas a guilty day;
   And still the blush hangs here. John Dryden, All for Love.

   O spare this great, this good, this aged king,
   And spare your soul the crime! John Dryden, Spanish Fryar.

   Spare my sight the pain
   Of seeing what a world of tears it costs you. Dryden.

4. To Spareverb

   1. To live frugally; to be parcimonious; to be not liberal.

   H’ has wherewithal: in him
   Sparing would show a worse sin than ill doctrine. William Shakespeare.

   Those wants, which they rather feared than felt, would well enough be overcome by sparing and patience. Richard Knolles.

   Our labours late and early every morning,
   Midst Winter frosts, then clad and fed with sparing,
   Rise to our toils. Thomas Otway.

   God has not been so sparing to men to make them barely two-legged creatures, and left it to Aristotle to make them rational. John Locke.

   When they discover the passionate desire of fame in the ambitious man, they become sparing and saving in their commendations; they envy him the satisfaction of an applause. Addis.

   Now a reservoir to keep and spare,
   The next a fountain spouting through his heir. Alexander Pope.

   No statute in his favour says
   How free or frugal I shall pass my days;
   Who at some times spend, at others spare,
   Divided between carelessness and care. Alexander Pope.

   2. To forbear; to be scrupulous.

   His soldiers spared not to say that they should be unkindly dealt with, if they were defrauded of the spoil. Richard Knolles.

   In these relations, although he be more sparing, his predecessors were very numerous. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours.

   To pluck and eat my fill I spar’d not. John Milton.

   3. To use mercy; to forgive; to be tender.

   Their king, out of a princely feeling, was sparing and compassionate towards his subjects. Francis Bacon.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Spareadjective

   to use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save

2. Spareadjective

   to keep to one's self; to forbear to impart or give

3. Spareadjective

   to preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to

4. Spareadjective

   to save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty

5. Spareadjective

   to deprive one's self of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with

6. Spareverb

   to be frugal; not to be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious

7. Spareverb

   to refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance

8. Spareverb

   to desist; to stop; to refrain

9. Spareverb

   scanty; not abundant or plentiful; as, a spare diet

10. Spareverb

    sparing; frugal; parsimonious; chary

11. Spareverb

    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

12. Spareverb

    held in reserve, to be used in an emergency; as, a spare anchor; a spare bed or room

13. Spareverb

    lean; wanting flesh; meager; thin; gaunt

14. Spareverb

    slow

15. Sparenoun

    the act of sparing; moderation; restraint

16. Sparenoun

    parsimony; frugal use

17. Sparenoun

    an opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket

18. Sparenoun

    that which has not been used or expended

19. Sparenoun

    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

20. Etymology: [AS. sparian, fr. spaer spare, sparing, saving; akin to D. & G. sparen, OHG. sparn, Icel. & Sw. spara, Dan. spare See Spare, a.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Spare

   A spare is a term used in bowling to indicate that all of the pins have been knocked down after the second ball of a frame. The symbol for a spare is a slash mark. A "spare" is awarded when no pins are left standing after the second ball of a frame; i.e., a player uses both balls of a frame to clear all ten pins. A player achieving a spare is awarded ten points, plus a bonus of whatever is scored with the next ball. It is typically rendered as a slash on scoresheets in place of the second pin count for a frame. A player who bowls a spare in the tenth frame is awarded one extra ball to allow for the bonus points. Correctly calculating bonus points can be difficult, especially when combinations of strikes and spares come in successive frames. In modern times, however, this has been overcome with automated scoring systems, linked to the machines that set and clear the pins between frames. A computer automatically counts pins that remain standing, and fills in a virtual score sheet. However, even the automated system is not fool-proof, as the computer can miscount the number of pins that remain standing.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Spare

   spār, v.t. to use frugally: to do without: to save from any use: to withhold from: to forbear from harming, to treat tenderly: to part with willingly.—v.i. to be frugal: to forbear: to be tender: to be forgiving.—adj. sparing: frugal: scanty: lean: superfluous.—n. that which has been saved or stored away: in American bowling, a point made by overturning all the pins with the first two balls.—adv. Spare′ly, in a spare manner: sparingly.—ns. Spare′ness; Spār′er, one who spares or avoids expense; Spare′rib, a piece of pork consisting of ribs with the meat adhering to them.—adj. Spā′ring, scarce: scanty: saving: merciful, forgiving.—adv. Spār′ingly, frugally: not abundantly: with abstinence: seldom: cautiously.—n. Spār′ingness, the quality of being sparing: want of liberality: caution. [A.S. sparian, to spare—spær, spare; Ger. spärlich, frugal.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. spare

   An epithet applied to any part of a ship's equipage that lies in reserve, to supply the place of such as may be lost or rendered incapable of service; hence we say, spare tiller, spare top-masts, &c.

Matched Categories

1. • Car Wheel
   • Component
   • Exempt
   • Give
   • Use

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'spare' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2336

2. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'spare' in Verbs Frequency: #826

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'spare' in Adjectives Frequency: #622

Anagrams for spare »

1. asper

2. spear

3. prase

4. spaer

5. parse

How to pronounce spare?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say spare in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of spare in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of spare in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of spare in a Sentence

1. Marco Dunand:

   There is a lot of spare capacity in the U.S. and some geographical rebalancing still remains to be done.

2. Chris Stoikos:

   My beard houses items when my pockets are full, these items include spare change, toothpicks and raw black olives. My beard also goes by the name of Grizz.

3. Democratic House:

   In response to the President's assessment of a deficit in the oil market, King Salman affirmed that the Kingdom maintains a two million barrel per day spare capacity, which it will prudently use if and when necessary to ensure market balance and stability, and in coordination with its producer partners, to respond to any eventuality.

4. Stephen Innes:

   The macro headwinds outweigh supply concerns for oil now, despite tensions in the Middle East and a reduced spare capacity pillow.

5. Jason Bordoff:

   We still do depend on that spare capacity to stabilize markets in a way that shale can not substitute for.

Popularity rank by frequency of use