Also 8 spear-rib. β. 7 sparrib, 8 sparib, 8–9 spar-rib. [prob. ad. MLG. ribbespêr (see RIBSPARE) with transposition of the two elements, and subsequent association with SPARE a.] A cut of meat, esp. of pork, consisting of part of the ribs somewhat closely trimmed. Also fig.
α. 1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, 48. Let’s haue halfe a dozen spare ribs of his rethorique, with tart sauce of taunts correspondent.
1708. W. King, Art of Cookery, 148. Spear-ribs, Surloins, Chines, and Barons.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones (1775), III. 113. I have bespoke a shoulder of mutton … and a spare-rib of pork.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple, xxvii. There was plenty of pork,… a roast sparerib with the crackling on,… and pig’s pettitoes.
1844. H. Stephens, Bk. Farm, II. 99. The ribs [of the sheep] are here left exposed at the part from which the shoulder has been removed, and constitute what are called the spare-ribs.
1887. Jefferies, Amaryllis, xii. 94. Pig-meat—such as spare-rib, griskin, blade-bone, and that mysterious morsel, the ‘mouse.’
β. 1607. Brewer, Lingua, II. i. Traile no speares, but sparribs of Porke.
1611. Cotgr., Cotis, the sparribs of a porke.
1706. S. Sewall, Diary, 24 Dec. (1879), II. 175. Din’d on Salt Fish and a Spar-Rib.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. v. (ed. 4), 449. There was a great quantity of provisions, particularly salted sparibs of pork.
1867. Waugh, Tattlin’ Matty, i. 11. They’n bin killin’ a pig; an’ hoo’s brought me a bit o’ spar-rib.
b. attrib., as spare-rib feast, etc.
1737. Ochtertyre Ho. Bks. (S.H.S.), 90. The sparrib rost peices.
1866. G. Easton, Autobiog., 9. The Spare-rib Feast … took place immediately after the fatted ox had been killed.
