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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | sparian |
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spare2 S3 [transitive]
1 to make something such as time, money, or workers available for someone, especially when this is difficult for you to do : 
I'd like you to come over when you can spare a couple of hours.Can you spare £5? It's very kind of you to spare me so much of your time.
give
I'd like you to come over when you can spare a couple of hours.Can you spare £5? spare somebody ten minutes/an hour etc Could you possibly spare me a few moments in private (=used to ask someone if they have time to quickly talk to you)?
Could you possibly spare me a few moments in private (=used to ask someone if they have time to quickly talk to you)?It's very kind of you to spare me so much of your time.2 if you have time, money etc to spare, you have some left in addition to what you have used or need : Anyone who has time to spare and would like to help can contact Moira. They still have some money to spare.
money/time etc to spare
Anyone who has time to spare and would like to help can contact Moira.They still have some money to spare.3 to prevent someone from having to experience something difficult or unpleasant : I wanted to spare them the trouble of buying me a present. Thankfully she had been spared the ordeal of surgery.
spare somebody the trouble/difficulty/pain etc (of doing something)
I wanted to spare them the trouble of buying me a present.Thankfully she had been spared the ordeal of surgery.4 to not damage or harm someone or something, even though other people or things are being damaged, killed, or destroyed : I could not understand why I had been spared and they had not.
not damage or harm
I could not understand why I had been spared and they had not. spare somebody/something from something Today we will hear whether the school is to be spared from closure.
Today we will hear whether the school is to be spared from closure.5 to think about another person who is in a worse situation than you are : Spare a thought for Nick, who's doing his exams right now.
spare a thought for somebody
Spare a thought for Nick, who's doing his exams right now.6 to spend as much money or do everything necessary to make something really good or successful
spare no expense/effort
spare no expense/effort to do something No expense was spared in developing the necessary technology. No effort will be spared to bring the people responsible to justice.
No expense was spared in developing the necessary technology.No effort will be spared to bring the people responsible to justice.7 to not tell someone all the details about something, because it is unpleasant or boring : He spared us the details, saying only that he had been injured in the war.
spare somebody (the details)
He spared us the details, saying only that he had been injured in the war.8 to avoid doing something that would upset someone : Just tell me the truth. Don't worry about sparing my feelings.
spare somebody's feelings
Just tell me the truth. Don't worry about sparing my feelings.