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

   Learn the meaning of spare as an adjective, verb, and noun in English. Find out how to use spare in different contexts, such as extra, thin, not decorated, to save, to avoid, to give, or to replace.

   • English (US)

     SPARE meaning: 1. If something is spare, it is available to...

   • Spare Time

     SPARE TIME definition: time when you are not working or do...

   • Portuguese Translation

     SPARE translate: a mais, de sobra, dispensar, ter de sobra,...

   • Znaczenie Spare, Definicja W Cambridge English Dictionary

     SPARE definicja: 1. If something is spare, it is available...

   • Spare: Catalan Translation

     spare translate: sobrer, donar, dedicar, (peça de) recanvi....

   • Spare Tyre

     SPARE TYRE definition: 1. an extra tyre kept in a car, to be...

   • Spare: Japanese Translation

     SPARE translate: 予備の, 余分の, 控えの, （時間を）割く, （金を）分け与える, 貸す, 予備,...

   • Spare: Italian Translation

     SPARE translate: in più, di ricambio, di riserva, dare,...

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

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › spare

   • Cached

   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word spare as an adjective, verb, and noun. Find synonyms, antonyms, examples, and related phrases for spare.

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

   www.thefreedictionary.com › spare

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and examples of the word spare as a verb, adjective, and noun. Find out the synonyms, antonyms, and related terms of spare in different contexts.

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

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   • to make something such as time or money available to somebody or for something, especially when it requires an effort for you to do this. spare something/somebody I'd love to have a break, but I can't spare the time just now.
   • to save somebody/yourself from having to go through an unpleasant experience. spare somebody/yourself something He wanted to spare his mother any anxiety.
   • (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.
   • spare no effort, expense, etc. to do everything possible to achieve something or to do something well without trying to limit the time or money involved.

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

   www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › spare

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning of spare as an adjective, verb, and noun, with usage examples and related topics. Find out how to use spare in phrases like spare time, spare change, spare a thought, and more.

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › spareSpare - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › spare

   Spare describes something that is extra. If you have a spare tire for your bike you can replace a flat, and if there's enough change in your pocket you can spare some to patch a friend's tire. As a noun, a verb, and an adjective, the word spare has many meanings.