[f. SPARE v.1]
1. The action of saving, economizing, or using with frugality.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 835. Sparyng also þat restreyneth þe delicate ease to sitte long at his mete.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 467/2. Sparynge, parcimonia.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, s.v. Circunscribo, To limite riote within the boundes of thriftie sparyng.
1588. Kyd, Househ. Phil., Wks. (1901), 252. With industrie, sparing, and good husbandry [I] did much augment it.
1621. T. Williamson, trans. Goulart’s Wise Vieillard, 72. Couetousnes … knowes no meane in sparing or spending.
1640. Bp. Hall, Chr. Moder. (Ward), 5/1. As too much bounty is prodigality, so too much sparing is niggardliness.
attrib. 1560. Rolland, Seven Sages, 96. Put spairing dayis and thame togidder, And sa small sall ȝe tyne.
1579–80. North, Plutarch (1895), III. 346. There was such store of gold and silver in the sparing cofers of their treasurie.
b. Const. of (the thing spared).
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 442. In speche and in sparynge of speche.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 287. For sparinge of a litel cost Fulofte time a man hath lost The large cote for the hod.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 38. A Jack for to saw vpon fewell for fier, for sparing of firewood.
1608. Dod & Cleaver, Expos. Prov. xi–xii. 177. This sparing of speech, when men reserue themselues for fit occasions.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 238. We haue vsed a great kind of sparing of the victuals in the store.
c. pl. That which is saved by economy; savings.
1628. Gaule, Pract. The. (1629), Ep. Ded. The Sparings of want haue euer beene held more acceptable, then the Fallings of abundance.
1647. R. Stapylton, Juvenal, XIV. 141. First Poore little sparings, then th’ insatiate thirst Of Getting.
1760. Cautions & Adv. to Officers of Army, 124. Here is another Deduction to be made out of your Sparings.
1866. Howells, Venetian Life, 66. The sparings for the whole week … are spent for this evening’s amusement.
2. The action of leaving unhurt or uninjured, of showing mercy or forbearance, etc.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VIII. 483. Thai … strak on thame forout sparing.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 181. The vertue of mekenesse kepyth the mene betwene Sparynge and vengeaunce.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, lxii. 162. They … drewe out theyre sharpe swerdes. Thenne was there noo sparynge.
c. 1526. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 226. I pray you be contented to give sparing to the next head Cort at Spoforth.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., III. 110 b. [They] cast vpon the head of euery one of them three small buckets full, without sparing of their clothes.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, V. 205. The Reason I laid down Was but the sparing of my horse.
1910. Daily Chron., 22 Jan., 3/2. They appear to kill all they can, leaving the sparing to some other time.
† b. Respite, delay. Obs. rare.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VII. (1811), 344. The mayre and the cytezyns … desyred a sparynge of ye lordys tyll they myght speke wt the Kynge.
1531. Dial. on Laws Eng., II. xiv. 37. I pray the gyue a lytle sparynge & procede now for this tyme to som othe[r] questyon.
