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3 VERB [only to-inf] If you have something such as time, money, or space to spare , you have some extra time, money, or space that you have not used or which you do not need. □ [V ] You got here with ninety seconds to spare. □ [V ] It's not as if he has money to spare.

4 VERB If you spare time or another resource for a particular purpose, you make it available for that purpose. □ [V n] She said that she could only spare 35 minutes for our meeting. □ [V n] He suggested that his country could not spare the troops for such an operation.

5 VERB [usu passive] If a person or a place is spared , they are not harmed, even though other people or places have been. [LITERARY ] □ [be V -ed] We have lost everything, but thank God, our lives have been spared.

6 VERB If you spare someone an unpleasant experience, you prevent them from suffering it. □ [V n n] I wanted to spare Frances the embarrassment of discussing this subject. □ [V n] She's just trying to spare Shawna's feelings.

7 → see also sparing

8 PHRASE If you spare a thought for an unfortunate person, you make an effort to think sympathetically about them and their bad luck. □  Spare a thought for the nation's shopkeepers–consumer sales slid again in May. SYNONYMS spare ADJ 2

extra:There's an extra blanket in the bottom drawer of the cupboard.

surplus:Few people have large sums of surplus cash.

leftover:…leftover pieces of wallpaper.

spa re pa rt (spare parts ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Spare parts are parts that you can buy separately to replace old or broken parts in a piece of equipment. They are usually parts that are designed to be easily removed or fitted.

spa re roo m (spare rooms ) N‑COUNT A spare room is a bedroom which is kept especially for visitors to sleep in.

spa re ti me N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] Your spare time is the time during which you do not have to work and you can do whatever you like. □  In her spare time she read books on cooking.

spa re ty re (spare tyres ) in AM, use spare tire 1 N‑COUNT A spare tyre is a wheel with a tyre on it that you keep in your car in case you get a flat tyre and need to replace one of your wheels.

2 N‑COUNT If you describe someone as having a spare tyre , you mean that they are fat around the waist. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ]

spa re whee l (spare wheels ) N‑COUNT A spare wheel is a wheel with a tyre on it that you keep in your car in case you get a flat tyre and need to replace one of your wheels. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, use spare tire

spar|ing /speə r I ŋ/ ADJ Someone who is sparing with something uses it or gives it only in very small quantities. □  Her sparing use of make-up only seemed to enhance her classically beautiful features. ●  spar|ing|ly ADV [ADV after v] □  Medication is used sparingly.

spark ◆◇◇ /spɑː ^r k/ (sparks , sparking , sparked )

1 N‑COUNT A spark is a tiny bright piece of burning material that flies up from something that is burning. □  The fire gradually got bigger and bigger. Sparks flew off in all directions.

2 N‑COUNT A spark is a flash of light caused by electricity. It often makes a loud sound. □  He passed an electric spark through a mixture of gases.

3 VERB If something sparks , sparks of fire or light come from it. □ [V ] The wires were sparking above me. □ [V prep] I stared into the flames of the fire as it sparked to life.

4 VERB If a burning object or electricity sparks a fire, it causes a fire. □ [V n] A dropped cigarette may have sparked the fire.

5 N‑COUNT A spark of a quality or feeling, especially a desirable one, is a small but noticeable amount of it. □ [+ of ] His music lacked that vital spark of imagination.