Also 5–6 sparre, 7–8 sparr. [Of obscure origin.]
† 1. intr. To dart or spring; to strike or thrust rapidly. Obs.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2975. With þat he brochis his blonke þat þe blode fames, Sparis [v.r. Sparrys] out spacly as sparke out of gledes.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 6690. Teuser, with tene turnyt to Ector, Sparrit to hym with a speire. Ibid., 6914. He put hym to Paris…, Sparrit at hym with a spere.
2. Of cocks: To strike with the feet or spurs; to fight.
1570. Levins, Manip., 29. To sparre, as cocks do, confligere.
1686. R. Blome, Gentl. Recreat., II. 279/1. Your Cocks having Sparred sufficiently.
1696. R. H., Sch. Recreat., 144. Let him Sparr with another Cock.
1710. Palmer, Proverbs, 255. ‘I’ll teach you to sparr at your lady!’ and in a moment [she] twisted off his neck.
1776. G. White, Selborne, lxxiii. A young cock will spar at his adversary before his spurs are grown.
1828. in Blaine, Encycl. Rural Sports (1840), 1208. The practice of permitting the stags and younger chickens to spar occasionally.
b. trans. To cause (a cock) to spar; to exercise in sparring.
1686. R. Blome, Gentl. Recreat., II. 279/1. The Day following Spar him again.
1696. R. H., Sch. Recreat., 145. The Second Fortnight, twice a Week will be enough to Chase or Spar your Cock.
1832. Marryat, N. Forster, III. viii. 123. They … fed and sparred them [cocks] to get them into wind.
3. To engage in or practise boxing; to make the motions of attack and defence with the arms and fists; to box. Also const. at.
1755. Johnson, Spar, to fight with prelusive strokes.
1825. C. Westmacott, Engl. Spy, I. 85. Big George can teach the use of fives,… Or spar or keep the game alive [etc.].
1833. Nyren, Yng. Cricketer’s Tutor, 38. The position of the wicket keeper in his standing, should be that of a man preparing to spar.
1847. Alb. Smith, Chr. Tadpole, xli. (1879), 355. It appeared that two pugilists who were advertised to spar had not yet arrived.
fig. 1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, IV. xi. ¶ 6. We … suspended the fray to spar a little with the flagon.
b. trans. With cognate object.
1901. Oxford Times, 16 March, 4/2. He … sparred a bye, in which the boxing was only of a light character.
4. To dispute; to bandy words.
1698. Collier, Immor. Stage, iv. § 5. 147. Jacinta spars again and says, I would have thee to know, thou graceless old Man, that I defy a Nunnery.
1741. Richardson, Pamela, III. 346. What! sparring and jangling again, you Sluts!
1752. Chesterf., Lett., ccxci. III. 336. Only women and little minds pout and spar for the entertainment of the company.
1854. Thackeray, Wolves & Lamb, Wks. 1899, XII. 30. They spar so every night they meet.
1880. Mrs. Riddell, Myst. Palace Gardens, xxvi. She liked to hear the two sparring.
b. trans. To argue or debate (questions).
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), III. 336. Among his virtuoso friends and acquaintances he loved to spar questions and foment disputes.
