[spɛː], (Adjective)

Definitions:
- additional to what is required for ordinary use
(e.g: few people had spare cash for inessentials)

- with no excess fat; thin
(e.g: a spare, bearded figure)

- elegantly simple
(e.g: her clothes are smart and spare in style)


Phrases:
- go spare
- spare a thought for
- spare me days!
- spare no effort
- spare no expense
- to spare

Origin:
Old English spær ‘not plentiful, meagre’, sparian ‘refrain from injuring’, ‘refrain from using’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German sparen ‘to spare’

[spɛː], (Noun)

Definitions:
- an item kept in case another item of the same type is lost, broken, or worn out
(e.g: with three to choose from, your child will never be without a spare)

- (in tenpin bowling) an act of knocking down all the pins with two balls


Phrases:
- go spare
- spare a thought for
- spare me days!
- spare no effort
- spare no expense
- to spare

Origin:
Old English spær ‘not plentiful, meagre’, sparian ‘refrain from injuring’, ‘refrain from using’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German sparen ‘to spare’

[spɛː], (Verb)

Definitions:
- give (something of which one has enough) to (someone)
(e.g: she asked if I could spare her a bob or two)

- refrain from killing, injuring, or distressing
(e.g: there was no way the men would spare her)

- be frugal
(e.g: but some will spend, and some will spare)


Phrases:
- go spare
- spare a thought for
- spare me days!
- spare no effort
- spare no expense
- to spare

Origin:
Old English spær ‘not plentiful, meagre’, sparian ‘refrain from injuring’, ‘refrain from using’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German sparen ‘to spare’