Oxford Dictionary English

    spare

    adjective
    adjective
    BrE BrE//speə(r)//
    ; NAmE NAmE//sper//
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    not used/needed
  1. 1 [usually before noun] that is not being used or is not needed at the present time We've got a spare bedroom, if you'd like to stay. I'm afraid I haven't got any spare cash. Are there any tickets going spare (= are there any available, not being used by somebody else)?
    2.  extra
  2. 2 [only before noun] kept in case you need to replace the one you usually use; extra a spare key/tyre Take some spare clothes in case you get wet.
    3.  time
  3. 3 available to do what you want with rather than work He's studying music in his spare time. I haven't had a spare moment this morning.
    4.  person
  4. 4thin, and usually quite tall
    5.  Word OriginOld English spær ‘not plentiful, meagre’, sparian ‘refrain from injuring’, ‘refrain from using’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German sparen ‘to spare’.Extra examples I haven’t had a spare moment this morning. I’m afraid I haven’t got any spare cash. We’ve got a spare bedroom, if you’d like to stay.Idioms
    go spare
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    (British English, informal) to become very angry or upset Your mum would go spare if she knew! I’ll go spare if I don’t get out of the house soon! See related entries: Anger
See spare in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishSee spare in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: spare
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