Obs. exc. dial. Also 1 spærstan, 2 -ston, 4 sperstane, 5 sparre stone. [In sense 1 repr. OE. spærstán: see SPAR sb.2 In sense 2 directly f. the latter word.]

1

  † 1.  Gypsum; plaster. Obs.

2

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 146. Creta argentea, spærstan.

3

c. 1050.  Voc., Ibid. 334. Gipsum, spærstan.

4

c. 1150.  Voc., Ibid. 550. Gipsum, spærston.

5

1394–6.  Cartul. Abb. de Whiteby (Surtees), 623. Item pro sperstane et ratonbrede emptis, 11 s. 11 d.

6

1481.  in Ripon Ch. Acts (Surtees), 345. Usque ad quandam querruram de plaster vocatam Sparre stone.

7

  2.  A stone or rock having a crystalline appearance; quartz, spar.

8

1694.  Salmon, Bate’s Dispens. (1713), 655/1. If you cannot get the Lapis Judaicus, our English Spar-stone, (which is plentiful enough in those Countries where there are Leaden-mines) may supply the place.

9

1880.  Cornw. Gloss., 53. A man of penetration he, For through a spar-stone he could see.

10