Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   spare

   /spɛː/

   adjective

   • 1. additional to what is required for ordinary use: "few people had spare cash for inessentials" Similar extrasupplementaryadditionalsecondanotheralternativeemergencyreservebackuprelieffallbacksubstitutefreshauxiliaryancillaryalternatesurplussurplus to requirementssuperfluoustoo much/manysupernumeraryexcessivein excessgoing beggingredundantnot requiredunnecessaryinessentialunessentialneedlessunneededuncalled fordispensabledisposableexpendableunwanteduselessde tropOpposite principalusefulrequired
   • ▪ not currently in use or occupied: "a spare seat"
   • ▪ (of time) not taken up by one's usual duties or activities; available for leisure: "he tried to write poetry in his spare time" Similar freeleisureunoccupiedownOpposite occupied
   • 2. with no excess fat; thin: "a spare, bearded figure" Similar slenderleanwillowysylphlikesveltelissomgracefulsnake-hippedrangyclean-limbedtrimslightslightly builtwithout an ounce of fatthinas thin as a reedskinnysize-zerogauntattenuatedlankyspindlyinformal:skin and bonerare:gracileattenuateOpposite fat
   • 3. elegantly simple: "her clothes are smart and spare in style"

   noun

   • 1. an item kept in case another item of the same type is lost, broken, or worn out: "with three to choose from, your child will never be without a spare"
   • 2. (in tenpin bowling) an act of knocking down all the pins with two balls.

   verb

   • 1. give (something of which one has enough) to (someone): "she asked if I could spare her a bob or two" Similar afforddo withoutmanage withoutget along withoutdispense withpart withgivelet someone haveprovide
   • ▪ make free or available: "I'm sure you can spare me a moment"
   • 2. refrain from killing, injuring, or distressing: "there was no way the men would spare her" Similar not harmleave uninjuredleave unhurtbe merciful toshow mercy tohave mercy onbe lenient todeal leniently withhave pity onpardongrant a pardon toexcuseleave unpunishedforgivereprievereleasefreelet offamnestyinformal:go easy on
   • ▪ refrain from inflicting (something unpleasant) on (someone): "the country had until now been spared the violence occurring elsewhere"
   • ▪ try to ensure or satisfy one's own comfort or needs: "in her concern to help others, she has never spared herself"
   • 3. be frugal: archaic "but some will spend, and some will spare"

   Word Origin Old Englishspær ‘not plentiful, meagre’, sparian ‘refrain from injuring’, ‘refrain from using’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German sparen ‘to spare’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. sparely adverb
   • 2. spareness noun

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • S

     1

   • P

     3

   • A

     1

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishSPARE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   SPARE definition: 1. If something is spare, it is available to use because it is extra: 2. time when you are not…. Learn more.

3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › spareSpare Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › spare

   • Cached

   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. sparely adverb. spareness noun. 2 of 3. verb.

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › spareSPARE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › spare

   • Cached

   Spare definition: to refrain from harming or destroying; leave uninjured; forbear to punish, hurt, or destroy. See examples of SPARE used in a sentence.

5. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishSPARE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   You use spare to describe something that is the same as things that you are already using, but that you do not need yet and are keeping ready in case another one is needed. If possible keep a spare pair of glasses accessible in case your main pair is broken or lost.

6. www.thefreedictionary.com › spareSpare - definition of spare by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › spare

   • Cached

   1. ( tr) to refrain from killing, punishing, harming, or injuring. 2. ( tr) to release or relieve, as from pain, suffering, etc. 3. ( tr) to refrain from using: spare the rod, spoil the child. 4. ( tr) to be able to afford or give: I can't spare the time.

7. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishspare verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   (formal) to allow somebody/something to escape harm, damage or death, especially when others do not escape it. spare somebody/something They killed the men but spared the children. She begged them to spare her life. During the bombing only one house was spared (= was not hit by a bomb). The storm largely spared Houston and surrounding districts.

8. www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › sparespare | meaning of spare in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary...

   www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › spare

   • Cached

   spare meaning, definition, what is spare: not being used or not needed at the pres...: Learn more.