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spare
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- pronunciation:
- speIr
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, adjective, noun
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, adjective, noun), Grammatical Patterns
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
spares, sparing, spared |
| definition 1: |
to handle gently or leniently.
Since it was his first offense, the judge decided to spare him.- similar words:
- favor
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| definition 2: |
to allow (someone) to avoid (something undesirable).
The interruption spared me having to tell him the truth.[verb + object + object
]
The hurricane's swiftly moving out to sea spared the town even greater destruction.- synonyms:
- free from, save
- similar words:
- acquit, exempt, exonerate, let off, liberate, pardon, redeem, release, reprieve, rescue
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| definition 3: |
to refrain from injuring or destroying.
The judge spared his life but sent him to prison.The teacher spared his feelings by not dwelling on his failures.- synonyms:
- save
- similar words:
- avoid, conserve, forbear, protect, safeguard, shelter, shield, withhold
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| definition 4: |
to use economically or with restraint.
Please try to spare the hot water.- synonyms:
- conserve, save
- antonyms:
- waste
- similar words:
- economize, forbear, forgo, hoard, hold, husband, keep, omit, reserve, restrain, scrimp on, skimp, withhold
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| definition 5: |
to allow; afford.
Please spare me a minute of your time.[verb + object + object
]
Can you spare me a dollar?[verb + object + object
]
- synonyms:
- afford, allow
- similar words:
- give, grant, provide, relinquish, supply, yield
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| definition 6: |
to refrain from including or mentioning.
Please spare me your excuses.[verb + object + object
]
- similar words:
- forgo, omit, withhold
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| related words: |
nurse |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition 1: |
to be economical.
- synonyms:
- economize, stint
- similar words:
- pinch pennies, save, scrimp, skimp
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| definition 2: |
to refrain from causing injury or damage.
- similar words:
- forbear, withhold
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| related words: |
scrape |
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| part of speech: |
adjective |
| inflections: |
sparer, sparest |
| definition 1: |
kept in reserve.
Fortunately, they had a spare tire in the trunk.- synonyms:
- reserve
- similar words:
- auxiliary, extra, on hand, substitute, supplementary
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| definition 2: |
being more than needed.
If you have any spare sheets and towels, we really could use them.She gave the homeless man her spare change.- synonyms:
- surplus
- similar words:
- additional, auxiliary, excess, extra, leftover, odd, superfluous, supplementary, unnecessary
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| definition 3: |
slender; lean.
She wondered how such a spare boy could eat so much.- synonyms:
- lank, lean, rawboned, slight
- antonyms:
- corpulent, curvaceous, stout
- similar words:
- emaciated, gaunt, lanky, meager, rangy, scrawny, skinny, slender, tenuous, thin
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| definition 4: |
barely sufficient; meager.
The prisoners were give a spare meal each night.The furnishings in the apartment were spare and flimsy.- synonyms:
- frugal, lean, meager, scant, scanty
- antonyms:
- profuse
- similar words:
- niggardly, skimpy, slender, sparing, stingy, stringent
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| related words: |
insufficient, lean, light, more, narrow, scant, slim |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
a replacement or surplus item that is put aside for future use.
Don't worry about the tire; we have a spare in the trunk. |
| definition 2: |
in bowling, the knocking down of all pins with two rolls of the ball.
She didn't get a strike, but she achieved a spare with her second ball. |
| related words: |
odd, way |
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| derivations: |
sparely (adv.), spareness (n.) |
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