spare
- 01 A2 Elementary
adj.available to use because it is extra and not currently needed.
adj.held in reserve as an extra or additional item for use when the primary is unavailable.
Simple“We have a spare bedroom if you want to stay the night.”
In context“The technician kept a spare set of cables in the van to ensure that any hardware failures could be addressed immediately without returning to the warehouse.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.plain and simple, without any extra decoration or detail.
adj.characterised by a lack of ornamentation or excess; lean and economical in style.
Simple“The poet is known for her spare and beautiful writing style.”
In context“The architect's spare design relied on the quality of the raw concrete and natural light rather than applied decoration.”
Synonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to give something to someone because you do not need it yourself.
v.to manage to give or lend something, such as time or money, without inconvenience.
Simple“Can you spare a few minutes to help me with this box?”
In context“Despite her busy schedule, the professor managed to spare an hour to review the graduate student's preliminary findings.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to not hurt or destroy someone or something when you have the power to do so.
v.to refrain from harming, punishing, or killing; to allow to go free.
Simple“The king decided to spare the prisoner's life at the last moment.”
In context“The invading army was ordered to spare the historic library, as the general valued the preservation of cultural heritage over total destruction.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to prevent someone from having to experience something difficult or boring.
v.to save someone from the necessity of doing or experiencing something unpleasant.
Simple“I will spare you the boring details of my long commute.”
In context“The witness was asked to summarise her statement to spare the family the trauma of hearing the graphic details again.”
- 06 B1 Intermediate
n.an extra item, like a tyre or a key, kept in case the first one breaks.
n.a duplicate or replacement part kept in reserve for emergency use.
Simple“If you lose your house key, there is a spare under the flowerpot.”
In context“The driver realised he had a flat tyre but was relieved to find a full-sized spare in the trunk.”
Synonyms - 07 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.knocking down all the pins using two tries in one turn.
n.the act of knocking down all ten pins with the second ball of a frame.
Simple“She got a spare in the final round and won the game.”
In context“After failing to knock down all the pins with his first delivery, the bowler managed a difficult spare by clipping the remaining pin on the far left.”
Antonyms
“The Taliban have Afghanistan in a chokehold that spares no one.”
“Passengers were told to disembark and spend the night after a spare part needed to be flown in from Dubai.”
From Middle English spare, spar, from Old English spær (“sparing, scant”), from Proto-Germanic sparaz, from Proto-Indo-European sph₁rós, from the root *speh₁-. Compare Dutch spaar(zaam), German spar(sam) and spär(lich), Swedish spar(sam), Icelandic sparr (“sparing”); also Latin (pro)sperus (“lucky”), Old Church Slavonic споръ (sporŭ, “plentiful”), Albanian shperr (“earn money”), Persian سپار (sepâr, “entrust; deposit”), Ancient Greek σπαρνός (sparnós, “rare”), Sanskrit स्फिर (sphirá, “thick”).
From Middle English sparen, sparien, from Old English sparian (“to spare, show mercy to, refrain from injuring or destroying”), from Proto-Germanic sparōną, sparāną (“to save, keep, spare”), from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (“to be productive, earn”). Cognate with Scots spar, spare, spair (“to spare”), West Frisian sparje (“to save, spare”), Dutch sparen (“to save, spare”), German sparen (“to save, conserve, economise”), Swedish spara (“to save, save up”), Icelandic spara (“to save, conserve”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.