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2 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  Spare \Spare\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spared; p. pr. & vb. n.
     Sparing.] [AS. sparian, fr. sp[ae]r spare, sparing, saving;
     akin to D. & G. sparen, OHG. spar?n, Icel. & Sw. spara, Dan.
     spare See Spare, a.]
     1. To use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or
        valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save. ``No cost
        would he spare.'' --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              [Thou] thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not
              spare.                                --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              He that hath knowledge, spareth his words. --Prov.
                                                    xvii. 27.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To keep to one's self; to forbear to impart or give.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Be pleased your plitics to spare.     --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Spare my sight the pain
              Of seeing what a world of tears it costs you.
                                                    --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to
        punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Spare us, good Lord.                  --Book of
                                                    Common Prayer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Dim sadness did not spare
              That time celestial visages.          --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Man alone can whom he conquers spare. --Waller.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some
        occupation, use, or duty.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              All the time he could spare from the necessary cares
              of his weighty charge, he ?estowed on . . . serving
              of God.                               --Knolles.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. To deprive one's self of, as by being frugal; to do
        without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Where angry Jove did never spare
              One breath of kind and temperate air. --Roscommon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I could have better spared a better man. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     To spare one's self.
        (a) To act with reserve. [Obs.]
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Her thought that a lady should her spare.
                                                    --Chaucer.
            [1913 Webster]
        (b) To save one's self labor, punishment, or blame.
            [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  Spare \Spare\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spared; p. pr. & vb. n.
     Sparing.] [AS. sparian, fr. sp[ae]r spare, sparing, saving;
     akin to D. & G. sparen, OHG. spar?n, Icel. & Sw. spara, Dan.
     spare See Spare, a.]
     1. To use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or
        valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save. ``No cost
        would he spare.'' --Chaucer.
  
              [Thou] thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not
              spare.                                --Milton.
  
              He that hath knowledge, spareth his words. --Prov.
                                                    xvii. 27.
  
     2. To keep to one's self; to forbear to impart or give.
  
              Be pleased your plitics to spare.     --Dryden.
  
              Spare my sight the pain Of seeing what a world of
              tears it costs you.                   --Dryden.
  
     3. To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to
        punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to.
  
              Spare us, good Lord.                  --Book of
                                                    Common Prayer.
  
              Dim sadness did not spare That time celestial
              visages.                              --Milton.
  
              Man alone can whom he conquers spare. --Waller.
  
     4. To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some
        occupation, use, or duty.
  
              All the time he could spare from the necessary cares
              of his weighty charge, he ?estowed on . . . serving
              of God.                               --Knolles.
  
     5. To deprive one's self of, as by being frugal; to do
        without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with.
  
              Where angry Jove did never spare One breath of kind
              and temperate air.                    --Roscommon.
  
              I could have better spared a better man. --Shak.
  
     To spare one's self.
        (a) To act with reserve. [Obs.]
  
                  Her thought that a lady should her spare.
                                                    --Chaucer.
        (b) To save one's self labor, punishment, or blame.

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