Dictionary
spare
Pronunciation: (spâr), [key]
—v., spared, spar•ing,
—adj., spar•er, spar•est,
—n.
—
v.t.
1. to refrain from harming or destroying; leave uninjured; forbear to punish, hurt, or destroy:
to spare one's enemy.
2. to deal gently or leniently with; show consideration for:
His harsh criticism spared no one.
3. 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.
4. to refrain from, forbear, omit, or withhold, as action or speech:
Spare us the gory details.
5. to refrain from employing, as some instrument or recourse:
to spare the rod.
6. to set aside for a particular purpose:
to spare land for a garden.
7. to give or lend, as from a supply, esp. without inconvenience or loss:
Can you spare a cup of sugar? Can you spare me a dollar till payday?
8. to dispense with or do without:
We can't spare a single worker during the rush hour.
9. to use economically or frugally; refrain from using up or wasting:
A walnut sundae, and don't spare the whipped cream!
10. to have remaining as excess or surplus:
We can make the curtains and have a yard to spare.
—
v.i.
1. to use economy; be frugal.
2. to refrain from inflicting injury or punishment; exercise lenience or mercy.
3. Obs.to refrain from action; forbear.
—
adj.
1. kept in reserve, as for possible use:
a spare part.
2. being in excess of present need; free for other use:
spare time.
3. frugally restricted or meager, as a manner of living or a diet:
a spare regime.
4. lean or thin, as a person.
5. scanty or scant, as in amount or fullness.
6. sparing, economical, or temperate, as persons.
—
n.
1. a spare thing, part, etc., as an extra tire for emergency use.
2. Ceram.an area at the top of a plaster mold for holding excess slip.
3. Bowling.
a. the knocking down of all the pins with two bowls.
b. a score so made. Cf.
strike (def. 78).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
