spare (spâr)tr.v. spared, spar·ing, spares 1. a. To refrain from harming, injuring, destroying, or killing: The general spared the city from a bombardment.b. To leave undamaged or unharmed: The oldest trees in the forest were spared from the fire.c. To refrain from denouncing or distressing; treat leniently or with consideration: The teacher spared the student’s feelings by not criticizing her.d. To allow (someone) to avoid experiencing or doing (something): spared myself the trouble of going to the store.2. a. To hold back from; withhold or avoid: spared no expense for the celebration.b. To use or supply with restraint: Don’t spare the mustard.3. To give or grant out of one’s resources; afford: Can you spare ten minutes?adj. spar·er, spar·est 1. a. Kept in reserve: spare parts.b. Being in excess of what is needed; extra: spare cash.c. Free for other use; unoccupied: spare time.2. a. Not lavish, abundant, or excessive; meager: a spare breakfast.b. Lean and trim: a runner with a spare figure.c. Not elaborate or ornate; simple: a writer’s spare style.n.1. A replacement, especially a tire, reserved for future need.2. Sports a. The act of knocking down all ten pins with two successive rolls of a bowling ball.b. The score so made.Idiom: to spare In addition to what is needed: We paid our bills and had money to spare.[Middle English sparen, from Old English sparian.]spare?ly adv.spare?ness n.spar?er n.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.spare (sp??) vb1. (tr) to refrain from killing, punishing, harming, or injuring2. (tr) to release or relieve, as from pain, suffering, etc3. (tr) to refrain from using: spare the rod, spoil the child. 4. (tr) to be able to afford or give: I can’t spare the time. 5. (usually passive) (esp of Providence) to allow to survive: I’ll see you again next year if we are spared. 6. (intr) rare to act or live frugally7. (intr) rare to show mercy8. not spare oneself to exert oneself to the full9. to spare more than is required: two minutes to spare. adj10. (often immediately postpositive) in excess of what is needed; additional: are there any seats spare?. 11. able to be used when needed: a spare part. 12. (of a person) thin and lean13. scanty or meagre14. (postpositive) slang Brit upset, angry, or distracted (esp in the phrase go spare)n15. a duplicate kept as a replacement in case of damage or loss16. (Automotive Engineering) a spare tyre17. (Bowls & Bowling) tenpin bowling a. the act of knocking down all the pins with the two bowls of a single frameb. the score thus made. Compare strike40[Old English sparian to refrain from injuring; related to Old Norse spara, Old High German spar?n] ?sparely adv ?spareness n ?sparer nCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014spare (sp??r) v. spared, spar?ing, v.t. 1. to refrain from harming, punishing, or killing. 2. to deal gently or leniently with: His harsh review spared no one. 3. to save, as from strain or discomfort: to spare you needless embarrassment. 4. to omit or withhold: Spare the gory details. 5. to refrain from employing: to spare the rod. 6. to give or lend, as from a supply, esp. without inconvenience: Can you spare a cup of sugar? 7. to set aside for a particular purpose. 8. to use or give frugally: Don’t spare the whipped cream! v.i. 9. to use economy; be frugal. 10. to refrain from inflicting injury or punishment; exercise lenience or mercy. adj. 11. kept in reserve, as for possible use: a spare part. 12. being in excess of present need; free for other use: a spare bedroom. 13. not taken up with work or other commitments; free: spare time. 14. frugally restricted or meager: a spare diet. 15. lean or thin, as a person. 16. sparing, economical, or temperate. n. 17. a spare thing or part, as an extra tire for emergency use. 18. a. the knocking down of all the bowling pins with two bowls. b. a score so made. Compare strike (def. 56). Idioms: to spare, remaining; left over: We finished early, with time to spare. [before 900; (v.) Middle English; Old English sparian, c. Old Frisian sparia, Old Saxon, Old High German spar?n, Old Norse spara] spare?a?ble, adj. spare?ly, adv. spare?ness, n. spar?er, n. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.spareAn individual part, subassembly or assembly supplied for the maintenance or repair of systems or equipment.Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.sparePast participle: sparedGerund: sparingImperativePresentPreteritePresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPast ContinuousPast PerfectFutureFuture PerfectFuture ContinuousPresent Perfect ContinuousFuture Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousConditionalPast ConditionalImperativesparesparePresentI spareyou sparehe/she/it spareswe spareyou sparethey sparePreteriteI sparedyou sparedhe/she/it sparedwe sparedyou sparedthey sparedPresent ContinuousI am sparingyou are sparinghe/she/it is sparingwe are sparingyou are sparingthey are sparingPresent PerfectI have sparedyou have sparedhe/she/it has sparedwe have sparedyou have sparedthey have sparedPast ContinuousI was sparingyou were sparinghe/she/it was sparingwe were sparingyou were sparingthey were sparingPast PerfectI had sparedyou had sparedhe/she/it had sparedwe had sparedyou had sparedthey had sparedFutureI will spareyou will sparehe/she/it will sparewe will spareyou will sparethey will spareFuture PerfectI will have sparedyou will have sparedhe/she/it will have sparedwe will have sparedyou will have sparedthey will have sparedFuture ContinuousI will be sparingyou will be sparinghe/she/it will be sparingwe will be sparingyou will be sparingthey will be sparingPresent Perfect ContinuousI have been sparingyou have been sparinghe/she/it has been sparingwe have been sparingyou have been sparingthey have been sparingFuture Perfect ContinuousI will have been sparingyou will have been sparinghe/she/it will have been sparingwe will have been sparingyou will have been sparingthey will have been sparingPast Perfect ContinuousI had been sparingyou had been sparinghe/she/it had been sparingwe had been sparingyou had been sparingthey had been sparingConditionalI would spareyou would sparehe/she/it would sparewe would spareyou would sparethey would sparePast ConditionalI would have sparedyou would have sparedhe/she/it would have sparedwe would have sparedyou would have sparedthey would have sparedCollins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011