spare

spare1 [ sper ] adjective **

1. ) only before noun a spare object is one that you keep in addition to other similar objects so that it is available if you need it:

a spare key/battery/pair of glasses

Bring a towel and some spare clothes.

2. ) available:

Every spare patch of land has been converted into a vegetable garden.

a ) available to be shared, or given to someone because it is additional to what you need for yourself:

the spare bedroom

b ) spare change coins of low value that you do not need, especially coins that you give to someone else

3. ) LITERARY plain and simple without any unnecessary detail or decoration:

a spare writing style

4. ) LITERARY thin:

She was about thirty-seven, tall, and spare.

be going spare BRITISH SPOKEN

used for saying that something is available for someone if they want it:

Can I borrow these books if they're going spare?

go spare BRITISH INFORMAL

to get extremely angry:

Trevor went spare when he saw me with another man.

spare

spare 2 [ sper ] verb transitive *

1. ) if you can spare something, you can give or lend it to someone because you don't need it:

Can you spare a couple of dollars?

We can't spare the staff for training sessions.

2. ) if you can spare time, effort, or energy, you use it for a particular purpose:

I'm sorry, I can't spare any more energy on this problem right now.

We arrived at the airport with just 20 minutes to spare.

spare someone something: It's kind of you to spare me a moment.

3. ) FORMAL to not harm or kill someone or something:

Luckily the floods spared this historic church.

Civilians were not spared in the attack.

spare someone's life: The commander was so impressed by their bravery that he spared their lives.

4. ) to prevent someone from experiencing an unpleasant, painful, or embarrassing situation or feeling:

spare someone the embarrassment/pain/trouble etc.: At least spare him the humiliation of having to ask for money.

spare someone something: Thank God she had been spared the ordeal of surgery.

money/room/time etc. to spare

more than enough money/room/time etc.:

We have food to spare.

spare someone's blushes BRITISH

to avoid doing something that would make someone feel embarrassed

spare someone the details

to not tell someone every detail about something because it is too boring, personal, or unpleasant

spare someone's feelings

to avoid doing something that would cause someone to feel sad or upset:

Don't try to spare our feelings tell us the truth.

spare no effort

to do everything that is necessary to make something succeed:

We will spare no effort to find the culprit of this crime.

spare no expense

to spend as much money as necessary to make something good, without worrying about the cost

spare a thought for someone

to think about someone who is in a difficult situation:

Please, spare a thought for the homeless this Christmas.

spare

spare 3 [ sper ] noun count

1. ) something that you have in addition to other similar things, that you can use if you need another one:

This flashlight is broken. That's okay, I've got a spare.

2. ) a SPARE TIRE