Also 5 sparare. [f. SPARE v.1 Cf. MLG. and G. sparer.]
1. A sparing, frugal or thrifty person; one who spares in using anything.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 467/1. Sparare, or he þat sparythe, parcus, parca.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 73 b. Plato was a frugall man and a great sparer or housband.
1555. W. Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. i. 118. The Nabatheens of all other arabiens are the beste husbandes, and thriftiest sparers.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XI. xix. 321. For otherwise they [bees] are very thriftie and overgreat sparers.
1635. J. Gore, Way to Well-doing, 25. A good sparer makes a good spender.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., i. I am in general a sparer of the rod.
1882. Pall Mall Gaz., 14 June, 4/2. The Turk has slaves in plenty, and is no sparer of their labour.
b. A thing or substance that aids in sparing or saving.
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife, etc. (1616), K vj b. Hee cannot away with Tobacco; for hee is perswaded (and not much amisse) that tis a sparer of bread-corne.
19[?]. Buck’s Handbk. Med. Sci., V. 564 (Cent. Dict. Suppl.). The great power as proteid sparers which the carbohydrates exercise.
2. One who refrains from injuring or destroying.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 78 b. He is the auenger, he is also the sparer.
1607. Lloyd, Pilgr. Princes, 37 b. His sodaine chaunge … from a spoyler of all places, to be a sparer now of his subjects.
1853. Zoologist, II. 4011. The humane sparer of the poor hedgehog in the midst of his many foes.
