v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Spared p. pr. & vb. n. Sparing. ] [ AS. sparian, fr. spaer spare, sparing, saving; akin to D. & G. sparen, OHG. spar&unr_;n, Icel. & Sw. spara, Dan. spare See Spare, a. ] 1. To use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save. “No cost would he spare.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Thou ] thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that hath knowledge, spareth his words. Prov. xvii. 27. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To keep to one's self; to forbear to impart or give. [ 1913 Webster ]

Be pleased your plitics to spare. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spare my sight the pain
Of seeing what a world of tears it costs you. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spare us, good Lord. Book of Common Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dim sadness did not spare
That time celestial visages. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Man alone can whom he conquers spare. Waller. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the time he could spare from the necessary cares of his weighty charge, he &unr_;estowed on . . . serving of God. Knolles. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To deprive one's self of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where angry Jove did never spare
One breath of kind and temperate air. Roscommon. [ 1913 Webster ]

I could have better spared a better man. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To spare one's self. (a) To act with reserve. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Her thought that a lady should her spare. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ] (b) To save one's self labor, punishment, or blame. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To be frugal; not to be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious. [ 1913 Webster ]

I, who at some times spend, at others spare,
Divided between carelessness and care. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance. [ 1913 Webster ]

He will not spare in the day of vengeance. Prov. vi. 34. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To desist; to stop; to refrain. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Sparer superl. Sparest; -- not used in all the senses of the word. ] [ AS. spaer sparing. Cf. Spare, v. t. ] 1. Scanty; not abundant or plentiful; as, a spare diet. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; chary. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was spare, but discreet of speech. Carew. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Being over and above what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous; as, I have no spare time. [ 1913 Webster ]

If that no spare clothes he had to give. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency; as, a spare anchor; a spare bed or room. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Lean; wanting flesh; meager; thin; gaunt. [ 1913 Webster ]

O, give me the spare men, and spare me the great ones. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Slow. [ Obs. or prov. Eng. ] Grose. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of sparing; moderation; restraint. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Killing for sacrifice, without any spare. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Parsimony; frugal use. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Poured out their plenty without spite or spare. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. That which has not been used or expended. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Tenpins) The right of bowling again at a full set of pins, after having knocked all the pins down in less than three bowls. If all the pins are knocked down in one bowl it is a double spare; in two bowls, a single spare. For the meaning in modern bowling, see sense 6. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

6. (Bowling) The act of knocking down all ten pins in two bowls, which entitles the bowler to add the number of pins knocked down in the next bowl to the score for the frame in which the spare occurred. [ PJC ]

a. Sparing; chary. [ Obs. ] Fairfax. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Spare"ful*ness, n. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster]

a. Unsparing. Sylvester. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a spare manner; sparingly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. AS. spaernis frugality. ] The quality or state of being lean or thin; leanness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who spares. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Spare, a. + rib. ] A piece of pork, consisting or ribs with little flesh on them. [ 1913 Webster ]