spareadjective
uk/speər/us/sper/spare adjective (EXTRA)
B1 If something is spare, it is available to use because it is extra:
A2 time when you are not working:
More examples
- I keep a spare tyre in the back of the car.
- Do it in a spare moment at the weekend or whenever - it really doesn't matter.
- We should be in when you arrive, but if the worst comes to the worst, the neighbours have a spare key and will let you into the house.
- We were able to bunk down in a spare room for the night.
- He bought an old engine and cannibalized it for spare parts.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Too much and unnecessary
- a sledgehammer to crack a nut idiom
- avalanche
- be up to your neck (in sth) idiom
- bellyful
- binge
- carry/take coals to Newcastle idiom
- hyper
- immoderate
- inessential
- insatiable
- lousy
- overdose
- play gooseberry idiom
- plenty
- plethora
- proliferate
- redundancy
- sock
- supplementary
- surplus
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spare adjective (THIN)
literary tall and thin:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Animal physiology: thin or slender (of people)
- anorexic
- be skin and bone(s) idiom
- elfin
- emaciated
- gaunt
- hatchet-faced
- hollow
- lissome
- lithe
- pinched
- rangy
- skinny
- slenderize
- slight
- spindly
- sylphlike
- trim
- underweight
- waif-like
- wiry
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spare adjective (NOT DECORATED)
literary usually approving plain and not decorated:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Plain and ordinary
- as it comes idiom
- austere
- austerity
- be a dime a dozen idiom
- be two/ten a penny idiom
- dime
- homely
- homespun
- homey
- humble
- humdrum
- kitchen-sink
- penny
- severely
- shout
- simple
- sober
- something/nothing to shout about idiom
- spartan
- stale
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spare adjective (ANNOYED)
to get very upset or angry:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Becoming angry and expressing anger
- (almost) burst a blood vessel idiom
- -tempered
- ape
- ballistic
- bananas
- bay for blood idiom
- get bent out of shape idiom
- get your knickers in a twist idiom
- go ape idiom
- go nuts idiom
- go off the deep end idiom
- launch
- lose
- postal
- sharp
- storm
- tempers get frayed idiom
- turn in your grave idiom
- umbrage
- wobbly
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spareverb
uk/speər/us/sper/spare verb (SAVE)
[ T ] to not hurt or destroy something or someone:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Not punishing & reducing punishment
- absolve
- amnesty
- clemency
- commutation
- commute
- diplomatic immunity
- discharge
- free pardon
- get (sb) off (sth)
- hook
- impunity
- let
- let sb off
- off the hook idiom
- parole
- privilege
- remission
- remit
- scot-free
- unpunished
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spare verb (AVOID)
[ T + two objects ] to prevent someone from having to experience something unpleasant:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Preserving and saving
- a knight in shining armour idiom
- conserve
- deliver
- guardian angel
- keep
- keep sth up
- knight
- life-saver
- lifeguard
- maintain
- reclaim
- recyclable
- recycling
- salvage
- salvation
- save
- save sb's bacon/neck idiom
- save your own skin/hide idiom
- saved by the bell idiom
- saviour
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spare verb (TRY HARD)
C2 to use a lot of effort, expense, etc. to do something:
to try as hard as you can to achieve something:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Using and misusing
- adopt
- adoption
- advantage
- avail
- avail yourself of sth
- be/go heavy on sth idiom
- go into sth
- go through sth
- gobble sth up
- heavy
- make capital out of sth idiom
- max
- mine
- unused
- upcycle
- upcycling
- usable
- usage
- use
- wear
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spare verb (GIVE)
C1 [ T ] to give time, money, or space to someone, especially when it is difficult for you:
C2 to think about someone who is in a difficult or unpleasant situation:
C1 left over or more than you need:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Giving, providing and supplying
- accommodate
- accord
- administer
- administration
- assignment
- award
- deliver
- dish
- go round (somewhere)
- hand sth around
- hand sth back
- hand sth in
- hand sth out
- invest
- lay
- stake sb to sth
- step
- step forward
- supplier
- supply
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Idiom(s)
sparenoun
uk/speər/us/sper/[ C ] an extra thing that is not being used and can be used instead of a part that is broken, lost, etc.
[ C usually plural ] also spare part a piece that can be used to replace another similar piece in a car or other device
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Replacing and exchanging
- alternate
- alternatively
- bargain sth away
- change over
- change places idiom
- fill
- name
- part exchange
- pinch-hit
- pre-empt
- proxy
- rep
- represent
- reserve
- sit
- substitution
- succeed
- succession
- supersede
- supplant
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