Also 5 spar. [Connected with SPARE v.1 Cf. ON. sparr (to be) spared; OE. spær, OHG. spar, MDu. spaer, MSw. and Norw. spar sparing; also Du. spaar-, G. and Sw. spar-, Da. spare-, Icel. spari- in combs.]
I. 1. Not in actual or regular use at the time spoken of, but carried, held, or kept in reserve for future use or to supply an emergency; esp. Naut. (see quot. 1769); additional, extra.
a. In attributive use.
The various types of context are illustrated by the different groups of quotations.
(a) 13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 104. Cables þay fasten,… weȝen her ankres, Sprude spak to þe sprete þe spare bawe-lyne.
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, 792, in Babees Bk. The keruer anon … Into þe couertoure wyn he powres owt, Or in-to a spare pece, with-outen doute.
1497. Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 110. Spare extrees for faucons,… v.
1573. Richmond Wills (Surtees), 242. v. ireon teames,… ij. spare crooks.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., I. i. 80. A small spare Mast, Such as sea-faring men prouide for stormes.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., II. Wks. 1856, I. 23. If you have any spare paire of silver spurs.
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 43. A spare Set thereof [i.e., rudder-irons] sent to Sea with every Lead-sheathed Ship.
1709. Lond. Gaz., No. 4521/2. One of the Flukes of the Spare-Anchor [was] … shot off.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), Spare, an epithet applied to any part of a ship’s … furniture, that lies in reserve, to supply the place of such as may be lost, or rendered incapable of service. Hence we say, spare top-masts, spare sails, spare rigging, &c.
1811. Regul. & Orders Army, 276. All Spare Ammunition is given in to the nearest Ordnance Depôt.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. xvi. 173. We carried spare tins, in case the others should burn out.
1893. R. Kipling, Many Invent., 2. We’ve just sent our regular engine to London, and this spare one’s not by any manner so accurate.
(b) a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 29. The master of hys horse folowed him with a spare horse.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 420. They bring with them three months victuall,… and a spare Horse for food, besides a better for seruice.
1708. J. C., Compl. Collier (1845), 33. The Charge of maintaining a spare Shift of Horses.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xviii. II. 90. The custom of their warriors, to lead in their hand one or two spare horses, enabled them to advance and to retreat with a rapid diligence.
1822–56. De Quincey, Confess. (1862), 76. Here’s a spare dromedary.
1850. R. G. Cumming, Hunter’s Life S. Afr., I. 105. A horseman … accompanied by an after-rider leading a spare horse.
(c) a. 1687. Petty, Pol. Arith. (1690), 107. There are spare Hands among the Kings Subjects, to earn two Millions more than they do.
1897. Daily News, 27 May, 8/5. Driver R. Wilcockson, a spare driver, from Hull, gave evidence in regard to the irregular hours of the ‘spare’ men.
(d) 1702. Guide for Constables, 12. He shall keep one or more spare beds for lodging of strangers.
1811. Scott, Lett., in Lockhart (1837), II. xi. 361. My present intention is to have only two spare bed-rooms. Ibid. (1827), Surg. Dau., i. A spare apartment, in which Doctor Gray occasionally accommodated … patients.
1881. Young, Every Man his own Mechanic, § 806. 371. A spare bed which may be put up anywhere in a few minutes.
b. In predicative use. Now rare.
1497. Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 87. ij pair wheles & a pair of hynder wheles spare.
1600. Dymmok, Ireland (1843), 7. His horse of service is allwaies led spare.
1621. Lady M. Wroth, Urania, 460. They only riding in one Coach, two other went spare.
a. 1642. Sir W. Monson, Naval Tracts, III. (1703), 324/1. Anchors lying spare at the River side.
1899. Westm. Gaz., 7 Dec., 5/2. Their ponies were running about spare all over the place.
† c. Of land, ground, etc.: Uncultivated, unoccupied, vacant. Obs. (exc. in sense 1 a or 2).
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 112. Sped hym on spedely on the spare mure.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 24. The ground that is yeerely sowen, and that hath lyne spare, is to be plowed thryse.
1665. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 221. The number of Gardens, Cemeteries [etc.],… take up much more spare place than London doth.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., 93. You may raise these Pollards in Hedgerows, and spare places.
† d. Of a leaf: Blank. Obs.–1
1705. Hearne, Collect., 13 July (O.H.S.), I. 5. A spare leafe, before a 4to Book of tracts.
2. That can be spared, dispensed with, or given away, as being in excess of actual requirements; superfluous. † Rarely as predicate.
a. 1553. Udall, Royster D. (Arb.), 28. She shall haue the first day a whole pecke of argent…. A pecke? Nomine patris, haue ye so much spare?
1613. Beaum. & Fl., Captain, I. iii. When I … have enough spare gold To boil away, you shall be welcome to me.
1783. Burke, Rep. Aff. India, Wks. 1842, II. 49. The supply destined for the London market is proportioned to the spare tonnage.
1816. Tuckey, Narr. Exped. R. Zaire, iv. (1818), 141. The very little spare provisions the natives seem to have at this season.
1849. Sir F. B. Head, Stokers & Pokers, v. (1851), 53. A few of the … men who had spare cash purchased the greater portion of these articles.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xiii. 149. All the spare morsels, the cast-off delicacies of the mess.
b. Of time: Not employed or taken up by one’s ordinary or usual duties or occupations; leisure.
a. 1610. Healey, Epictetus (1636), 69. There is no necessity of thine often going to the playes, or to the prizes: but if thou hast any spare time, go.
c. 1643. Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 240. All the spare hours which I could get from my visits and negotiations.
1713. Addison, Guardian, No. 155, ¶ 2 (J.). There are some Reasons why Learning seems more adapted to the Female World, than to the Male…. They have more spare Time upon their Hands, and lead a more Sedentary Life.
1885. G. Allen, Babylon, xvi. Minna was working hard in all her spare hours.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, iv. The earliest spare moment he could find was devoted to Lady Gethin.
transf. 1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Sunday, iv. The other dayes fill up the spare And hollow room with vanities.
II. † 3. Of speech: Sparing; marked by reticence or reserve. Obs. rare.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 901. Þenne was spyed & spured vpon spare wyse, Bi preue poyntez of þat prynce [etc.].
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xx. 294. This spekyng must be spar, and neuen it neuer…; let no man wyt where that we war.
4. Of persons, their limbs, etc.: Having little flesh; not fat or plump; lean, thin.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VII., 60 b. He was a man of body but leane and spare.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. ii. 287. O, giue me the spare men, and spare me the great ones.
1614. Rowlands, Fooles Bolt (Hunterian Cl.), 34. Thou worthy leane spare Gentleman.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 511. His Visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare.
1709. Tatler, No. 93, ¶ 4. As I am spare, I am also very tall.
1716. Swift, Progr. Poetry, Wks. 1755, III. II. 162. Hard exercise and harder fare Soon make my dame grow lank and spare.
1808. Scott, Marm., II. iv. Her cheek was pale, her form was spare.
1844. W. Irving, Goldsmith, xiv. (1850), 172. He was upwards of six feet high, and very spare.
1885. Spectator, 25 July, 971/1. A man of spare figure, with a shrewd, humorous face.
transf. 1848. Dickens, Dombey, lvii. Mrs. Miff assents with a spare nod of her mortified bonnet. Ibid. (1865), Mut. Fr., I. xv. The staircase, balustrades, and rails, had a spare look.
b. Const. in or of (flesh).
1632. Sherwood, Spare (of flesh), desnué de chair.
1842. Tennyson, Talk. Oak, 92. I hold them [fairies] exquisitely knit, But far too spare of flesh.
1871. Napheys, Prev. & Cure Dis., I. i. 45. Spare in flesh.
c. Lacking body or substance; flimsy, thin.
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., XIII. lxxix. (1612), 325. But all effects, and names to God his Essence come more short Than Sun-shine to the Suns-selfe, than to action spare report.
1858. Lowell, Vis. Sir Launfal, II. iii. Sir Launfal’s raiment thin and spare Was idle mail ’gainst barbed air.
d. poet. Growing thinly or sparsely.
1815. Shelley, Alastor, 527. Grey rocks did peep from the spare moss.
† 5. Of persons: Sparing, temperate, or moderate of or in something, esp. diet or speech. Obs.
(a) 1563. Foxe, A. & M., 1050/1. He [Hooper] was … spare of dyet, sparer of wordes, and sparest of tyme.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 183. Another may we see, though spare of speech, And temporate in discourse, yet he may teach By his effectual words the rasher sort.
1658–9. in Burton’s Diary (1828), III. 341. I am very spare of speaking.
1697. Dryden, Virgil, Life (1721), I. 61. He was … spare of Dyet, and hardly drank any Wine.
(b) 1581. Pettie, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., II. (1586), 71 b. We must be spare in speaking of things which are not easily beleeued.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. (Arb.), 298. A man to be in giuing free, in asking spare.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., II. ii. 131. Are they spare in diet, Free from grosse passion.
† b. Not lavish, liberal, or profuse, esp. in expenditure or living; frugal, niggardly, parsimonious; abstemious. Obs.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccles. Hist. VII. xxxi. (1619), 143. Pierius was proved a spare man of life, and singular in Philosophy.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., I ij b. But as some be ouer largeous, so other some are spare enough.
1633. P. Fletcher, Poet. Misc., 58. Oh happy pair, where nothing wants to either,… Fortune and nature being spare to neither!
c. dial. Displaying little exertion or energy; slow, dilatory.
1746–. in south-western dial. glossaries, etc.
6. Characterized by meanness, bareness, economy, or frugality, esp. in regard to food.
1560. Abp. Parker, Corr. (Parker Soc.), 133. The unclean or negligent order and spare-keeping of the house of prayer.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., III. ii. 20. As it is a spare life…, it fits my humor well: but as there is no more plentie in it, it goes much against my stomacke.
1634. Milton, Comus, 767. She … Means her provision onely to the good, That live according to her sober laws, And holy dictate of spare Temperance.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., xxiv. To order the whole establishment on the sparest footing possible.
b. Of diet, fare, meals, etc.: Consisting of a comparatively small amount of food, esp. of a plain kind; not abundant or plentiful.
1570. Jewel, View of Seditious Bull (1582), 29. So that the quantitie be smal, and fit for sober and spare diet.
1607. Rowlands, Earl of Warwick (Hunterian Cl.), 66. His diet of the meanest, hard and spare.
c. 1665. Mrs. Hutchinson, Mem. Col. Hutchinson (1846), 24. He was not talkative, yet free of discourse; of a very spare diet.
a. 1721. Prior, Wand. Pilgr., 13. Spare diet, and spring-water clear, Physicians hold are good.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 173. When her patriots … Enjoy’d—spare feast!—a radish and an egg!
1841. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. II. Nell Cook. The Priory fare was scant and spare.
1842. Combe, Digestion, 203. He was unable for study till five or six hours alter even a very spare dinner.
transf. 1893. Stevenson, Catriona, xxv. (1902), 306. I drink nothing else but spare, cold water.
c. poet. Scanty, meager, rare.
1813. Shelley, Q. Mab, V. 202. Some servile souls, Whom cowardice itself might safely chain, Or the spare mite of avarice could bribe.
1842. Tennyson, St. Sim. Styl., 77. Eating not, Except the spare chance-gift of those that came To touch my body.
1888. Julie M. Lippmann, in Century Mag., May, 26. Look! even now the reaper-beams appear, And gather in the clouds’ spare aftermath.
7. As adv. Sparely; with spare diet. rare.
1813. Scott, Trierm., III. iv. Yet still his watch the warrior keeps, Feeds hard and spare, and seldom sleeps.
III. 8. Comb., chiefly parasynthetic, as spare-bodied, -built, -fed adjs.; † spare-handed adj., having a sparing hand.
1626. J. Yates, Ibis ad Cæsarem, I. 1. God is ample in Predestination unto life, but in the death of sinners spare-handed.
1742. Jarvis, Don Quix., i. He was of a robust constitution, spare-bodied, of a meagre visage.
1813. Scott, Rokeby, II. xxii. His stately form, spare-built and tall.
1837. Lockhart, Scott, IV. v. 157. For ‘early to rise,’ unless in the case of spare-fed anchorites, takes for granted ‘early to bed.’
1895. Scully, Kafir Stories, 133. Whitson was a sallow-faced, spare-built man of short stature.
