adv. [f. prec. + -LY2.]
1. In a sparing or saving manner; frugally, economically.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 206. Þi wyif & chyld muste sparyngly as hem nedyth spendyn of þi euyl getyn good.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. xxxvii. 19. He teacheth us thriftynesse, by dealing out sparingly.
1598. R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Andr., I. i. (1607), 9. Si. At the first she lived chastly, sparingly, and hardly, earning her liuing by wooll & webbe.
1611. Cotgr., Frugalement, frugally, thriftily, sparingly.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., II. i. (1869), I. 275. He consumes his stock as sparingly as he can.
1781. Cowper, Hope, 521. He … Is sober, meek, benevolent, and prays, Feeds sparingly.
1873. Burgess, in Symonds, Grk. Poets, xi. 368.
| Your goods enjoy, as if about to die; | |
| As if about to live, use sparingly. |
2. In a restricted or limited manner; very moderately, scantily, slightly.
1555. Lydgate’s Chron. Troy, To Rdr. He shall be compelled to put on … theyr fantasye, and yet … sparinglye.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 175. He quha saues sparinglie sal scheer sparinglie, as the Apostle witnessis.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 36. We passed … through a Fenny ground and woods of Oake, yeelding some corne, but sparingly.
1684–5. Boyle, Min. Waters, 79. To make some estimate, how copiously or sparingly the Liquor is impregnated with it.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 236. The clover has not come up at all, or but very sparingly.
1784. Cowper, Tiroc., 198. And taught at schools much mythologic stuff, But sound religion sparingly enough.
1812. New Botanic Gard., I. 42. They should be often but sparingly watered.
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., xxvi. 331. Cases where the chancres had … suppurated sparingly.
1871. L. Stephen, Playgr. Eur. (1894), ii. 54. It [a bit of rough scenery] might be admitted into descriptions, though sparingly.
b. Of eating or drinking: In great moderation; abstemiously.
1574. Newton, Health Mag., L iij b. All kindes of Shelfishes … are seldome and sparingelie to be eaten.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 52. Their Wines … are hurtfull to all, except sparingly taken.
1668. H. More, Div. Dial., V. i. (1713), 400. But both you and Philotheus ate so sparingly.
1717. L. Howel, Desiderius (ed. 3), 171. Pray, how must I tast or eat this Fruit? Very sparingly, says he.
1760. Phil. Trans., LI. 849. By … his living sparingly, and being confined to his bed, he became much emaciated.
1805. Southey, Madoc, II. iv. Sparingly Drink, for it hath a strength to stir the brain.
1865. Cornh. Mag., XI. 489. He sipped sparingly the other in acknowledgment of our politeness.
c. Of speaking, etc.: With reserve or restraint; not fully or copiously.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 80. I wrote of you (by my credite and honestie) sparingly and timorously.
1583. Babington, Commandm. (1590), 402. When a man speaketh of himselfe, let him speak sparinglie, but not falsely.
1605. Earl Stirling, Alexandr. Trag., II. ii. Speake sparingly of vice, praise virtue much.
1681. Flavel, Meth. Grace, vii. 144–5. Though there be such a thing as an explicite faith sometimes spoken of among them, yet it is very sparingly discoursed.
1754. Chatham, Lett. Nephew, iv. 21. Deliver your own opinions sparingly, and with proper diffidence.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), III. 111. They reasoned sparingly on the subject of those Sacred Books.
1825. Lytton, Falkland, 39. Which in modern writings have been so sparingly exposed.
d. To a slight extent; in a small degree.
1796. Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), III. 565. Stalks naked: leaves sparingly serrated.
1804. Phil. Trans., XCIV. 428. Octaedral crystals…, that are very sparingly soluble in water.
1835. J. Duncan, Beetles (Nat. Lib.), 268. The head and thorax are black and shining, the latter sparingly punctured.
1855. Scoffern, in Orr’s Circ. Sci., Elem. Chem., 502. Silver is sparingly attacked by strong hydrochloric acid.
1871. Garrod & Baxter, Mat. Med. (ed. 3), 47. Soluble in water, more sparingly in spirit.
3. With restriction to a few occasions; seldom, infrequently.
1590. Swinburne, Testaments, 13. When Codicilles were first inuented, they were vsed very sparinglie.
c. 1643. Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 89. As for hunting in his Forests I told him I should use it sparingly.
1666. Dryden, Ann. Mirab., Pref. (1910), 21. A grave Sentence, affected by Lucan, but more sparingly used by Virgil.
1748. Hartley, Observ. Man, I. iv. § 1. 426. Discords … sparingly introduced so as to make a strong Contrast.
1803. Med. Jrnl., 271. The lancet, however, was more sparingly employed.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 297. Military punishments were doubtless inflicted…; but they were inflicted very sparingly.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxiv. 389. The Parliament of England has, for some ages, but sparingly exercised its right of personal election.
4. Leniently, gently.
1863. Miss Braddon, Aurora Floyd, i. 5. Autumn’s red finger has been lightly laid upon the foliage—sparingly.
