browse words by letter
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
sparing |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Sparing \Spar"ing\, a. Spare; saving; frugal; merciful. --Bacon. -- {Spar"ing*ly}, adv -- {Spar"ing*ness}, n. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Spare \Spare\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spared}; p. pr & vb n. {Sparing}.] [AS. sparian, fr sp[ae]r spare, sparing, saving; akin to D. & G. sparen, OHG. spar?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. [Thou] thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare. --Milton. He that hath knowledge, spareth his words --Prov. xvii. 27. 2. To keep to one's self to forbear to impart or give Be pleased your plitics to spare. --Dryden. Spare my sight the pain Of seeing what a world of tears it costs you --Dryden. 3. To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to Spare us good Lord. --Book of Common Prayer. Dim sadness did not spare That time celestial visages. --Milton. Man alone can whom he conquers spare. --Waller. 4. To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use or duty. All the time he could spare from the necessary cares of his weighty charge, he ?estowed on . . . serving of God. --Knolles. 5. To deprive one's self of as by being frugal; to do without to dispense with to give up to part with Where angry Jove did never spare One breath of kind and temperate air. --Roscommon. I could have better spared a better man. --Shak. {To spare one's self}. a To act with reserve. [Obs.] Her thought that a lady should her spare. --Chaucer. b To save one's self labor, punishment, or blame. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: sparing adj : avoiding waste; "an economical meal"; "an economical shopper"; "a frugal farmer"; "a frugal lunch"; "a sparing father and a spending son"; "sparing in their use of heat and light"; "stinting in bestowing gifts"; "thrifty because they remember the great Depression"; (`scotch' is used only informally) [syn: {economical}, {frugal}, {scotch}, {stinting}]
more about sparing