Webster's English Dictionary

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spare

Cross references:
  1. lean                   2. meager                
 
1. spare \'spa(*)r, 'spe(*)r\ vb [ME sparen, fr. OE sparian; akin to OHG 
   sparo-n to spare,]OE spr, adj., spare 1: to forbear to destroy, 
   punish, or harm  2: to refrain from attacking or reprimanding with 
   necessary or salutary se verity 3: to relieve of the necessity of doing or 
   undergoing something : EXE MPT 4: to refrain from : AVOID  5: to use 
   frugally  6a: to give up as not strictly needed  6b: to have left over or 
   as margin {time to ~}  1: to be frugal  2: to refrain from doing harm : be 
   lenient  - spar.er n
2. spare aj [ME, fr. OE spr; akin to OSlav sporubreve> abundan]t, OE 
   spe-d prosperity - more at SPEED 1: not being used; esp : held for 
   emergency use  2: being over and above what is needed : SUPERFLUOUS  3: not 
   liberal or profuse : SPARING  4: somewhat thin  5: not abundant or 
   plentiful : SCANTY  - spare.ly av
3. spare n 1a: a spare tire  1b: one duplicate kept in reserve  2: the 
   knocking down of all 10 pins with the first 2 bowls of a frame in bo wling