n. 1. A contest at sparring or boxing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A movement of offense or defense in boxing. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sparred p. pr. & vb. n. Sparring. ] [ Of uncertain origin; cf. OF. esparer to kick, F. éparer, or Icel. sperra to stretch out the legs, to struggle. ] 1. To strike with the feet or spurs, as cocks do. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To use the fists and arms scientifically in attack or defense; to contend or combat with the fists, as for exercise or amusement; to box. [ 1913 Webster ]

Made believe to spar at Paul with great science. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To contest in words; to wrangle. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. sparre; akin to D. spar, G. sparren, OHG. sparro, Dan. & Sw. sparre, Icel. sparri; of uncertain origin. √171. Cf. Spar, v. t. ] 1. (Naut.) A general term any round piece of timber used as a mast, yard, boom, or gaff. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) Formerly, a piece of timber, in a general sense; -- still applied locally to rafters. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The bar of a gate or door. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spar buoy (Naut.), a buoy anchored by one end so that the other end rises above the surface of the water. --
Spar deck (Naut.), the upper deck of a vessel; especially, in a frigate, the deck which is continued in a straight line from the quarter-deck to the forecastle, and on which spare spars are usually placed. See under Deck. --
Spar torpedo (Naut.), a torpedo carried on the end of a spar usually projecting from the bow of a vessel, and intended to explode upon contact with an enemy's ships. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OE. sparren, AS. sparrian; akin to G. sperren, Icel. sperra; from the noun. √171. See Spara beam, bar. ] 1. To bolt; to bar. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To To supply or equip with spars, as a vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ A vessel equipped with spars that are too large or too small is said to be oversparred or undersparred. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. spaer in spaerstān chalkstone; akin to MHG. spar, G. sparkalk plaster. ] (Min.) An old name for a nonmetallic mineral, usually cleavable and somewhat lustrous; as, calc spar, or calcite, fluor spar, etc. It was especially used in the case of the gangue minerals of a metalliferous vein. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blue spar,
Cube spar, etc. See under Blue, Cube, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Corrupted from sparrow bill. ] A kind of small nail used by shoemakers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A small California surf fish (Micrometrus aggregatus); -- called also shiner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. sparadrap; cf. It. sparadrappo, NL. sparadrapa. ] 1. A cerecloth. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) Any adhesive plaster. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. Obs. or corrupt forms of Asparagus. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OF. esparpiller to scatter, F. éparpiller. ] To scatter; to disperse; to rout. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The king's host was sparbled and chased. Fabyan. [ 1913 Webster ]