Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense spars, present participle sparring, past tense, past participle sparred
1. verb
If you sparwith someone, you box using fairly gentle blows instead of hitting your opponent hard, either when you are training or when you want to test how quickly your opponent reacts.
With protective gear on you can spar with a partner. [VERB + with]
They sparred for a moment, on the brink of a full fight. [VERB]
2. verb
If you sparwith someone, you argue with them but not in an aggressive or serious way.
Over the years he sparred with his friend over political tactics. [VERB + with]
They had always gotten along, even when they sparred. [VERB]
3. countable noun
A spar is a strong pole, especially one that a sail is attached to on a sailing ship.
The mast was a solid spruce spar.
More Synonyms of spar
spar in British English1
(spɑː)
noun
1.
a.
any piece of nautical gear resembling a pole and used as a mast, boom, gaff, etc
b.
(as modifier)
a spar buoy
2.
a principal supporting structural member of an aerofoil that runs from tip to tip or root to tip
Word origin
C13: from Old Norse sperra beam; related to Old High German sparro, Old French esparre
spar in British English2
(spɑː)
verbWord forms: spars, sparring or sparred(intransitive)
1. boxing, martial arts
to fight using light blows, as in training
2.
to dispute or argue
3.
(of gamecocks) to fight with the feet or spurs
noun
4.
an unaggressive fight
5.
an argument or wrangle
6. informal
a close friend
Word origin
Old English, perhaps from spur
spar in British English3
(spɑː)
noun
any of various minerals, such as feldspar or calcite, that are light-coloured, microcrystalline, transparent to translucent, and easily cleavable
▶ Related adjective: spathic
Word origin
C16: from Middle Low German spar; related to Old English spærstān; see feldspar
spar in American English1
(spɑr)
verb intransitiveWord forms: sparred or ˈsparring
1.
to fight with the feet and spurs
said of a fighting cock
2.
to box with jabbing or feinting movements, landing few heavy blows, as in exhibition or practice matches
3.
to wrangle or dispute
noun
4.
a sparring match or movement
5.
a dispute
Word origin
ME sparren, prob. < MFr esparer < It sparare, to fling out the hind legs, kick < s- (< L ex-, intens.) + parare, to parry
spar in American English2
(spɑr)
noun
1.
any pole, as a mast, yard, boom, or gaff, supporting or extending a sail of a ship
2.
any of the main structural beams attached to the fuselage of an airplane to support the wings
verb transitiveWord forms: sparred or ˈsparring
3.
to equip with spars
Word origin
ME sparre < ON sparri or MDu sparre < IE base *sper-, pole, rod > spear, L sparus, short spear
spar in American English3
(spɑr)
noun
any shiny, crystalline, nonmetallic mineral that cleaves easily into chips or flakes
Word origin
< MDu or MLowG, akin to OE spær(stan), gypsum, chalk
SPAR in American English
(spɑːr)
noun
(during World War II)
a woman enlisted in the women's reserve of the U.S. Coast Guard (disbanded in 1946)
Also: Spar
Word origin
[1942; ‹ L S(emper) par(ātus) “Always ready,” the Coast Guard motto]
Examples of 'spar' in a sentence
spar
So the two often spar against men instead.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The undisputed heavyweight champion of sporting goods has continued to outshine its former sparring partner.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He won one sparring match and drew two others.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It has not been easy to get sparring partners who are two metres tall and of good quality.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Nights at ringside commenting on heavyweights who might not have measured up as sparring partners during his sovereign years?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You seem like two sparring siblings.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We must spar together one day.
The Sun (2011)
Talking to him is like sparring with a man who speaks as fast and smart in life as he does on screen.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It's like watching two bad boxers spar to mutual exhaustion.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Everyone stood about in the open, smoking or sparring with a friend.
Aldiss, Brian Somewhere East of Life (1994)
There's the chance to sharpen up with a little light sparring before the heavy hitters have to be faced.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Then you have sparring partners who also want to prove a point, so sparring can just turn into a war.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I had wars with my sparring partners and didn't think about my game plan.
The Sun (2012)
You can say you'll get ready with sparring partners, but there is no place like a fight.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The American liked him instantly, signed him to his promotional company and used him as a sparring partner.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
With the oil-rich country largely split between east and west and two administrations sparring for the throne, terror groups quietly built their empires.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A bit of training, sparring, that kind of thing.
The Sun (2012)
In other languages
spar
British English: spar VERB
If you spar with someone, you box using gentle blows instead of hitting your opponent hard.
With protective gear on you can spar with a partner.
American English: spar
Brazilian Portuguese: treinar
Chinese: 轻拳出击练习时或试探对手反应时的
European Spanish: entrenarseen el boxeo
French: s'entraîner
German: sparren
Italian: allenarsi
Japanese: スパーリングする
Korean: 권투 연습을 하다
European Portuguese: treinar
Latin American Spanish: entrenarseen el boxeo
(verb)
Definition
to argue with someone
The sparring couple have declared a truce in public.
Synonyms
argue
They were still arguing. I could hear them down the road.
row
They rowed all the time.
squabble
The siblings squabble like they did when they were children.
dispute
Whole towns disputed with neighboring villages over boundaries.
scrap (informal)
They are always scrapping.
fall out (informal)
She fell out with her friend.
spat
wrangle
The two parties are still wrangling over the timing of the election.
skirmish
Police skirmished with youths on a council estate last Friday.
bicker
The two children bickered constantly.
have a tiff
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bicker
Definition
to argue over petty matters
The two children bickered constantly.
Synonyms
quarrel,
fight,
argue,
row (informal),
clash,
dispute,
scrap (informal),
disagree,
fall out (informal),
squabble,
spar,
wrangle,
cross swords,
fight like cat and dog,
go at it hammer and tongs,
altercate
in the sense of dispute
Whole towns disputed with neighboring villages over boundaries.
Synonyms
argue,
fight,
clash,
row,
disagree,
fall out (informal),
contend,
feud,
quarrel,
brawl,
squabble,
spar,
wrangle,
bicker,
have an argument,
cross swords,
be at sixes and sevens,
fight like cat and dog,
go at it hammer and tongs,
altercate
in the sense of fall out
Definition
to disagree and quarrel
She fell out with her friend.
Synonyms
argue,
fight,
row,
clash,
differ,
disagree,
quarrel,
squabble,
have a row,
have words,
come to blows,
cross swords,
altercate
Nearby words of
spar
span
spank
spanking
spar
spare
spare time
sparing
Synonyms of 'spar'
spar
Explore 'spar' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of row
Definition
to quarrel noisily
They rowed all the time.
Synonyms
quarrel,
fight,
argue,
dispute,
scrap (informal),
brawl,
squabble,
spar,
wrangle,
go at it hammer and tongs
in the sense of scrap
Definition
to quarrel or fight
They are always scrapping.
Synonyms
fight,
argue,
row,
fall out (informal),
barney (informal),
squabble,
spar,
wrangle,
bicker,
have words,
come to blows,
have a shouting match (informal)
in the sense of skirmish
Definition
to take part in a skirmish
Police skirmished with youths on a council estate last Friday.
Synonyms
fight,
clash,
come to blows,
scrap (informal),
collide,
grapple,
wrangle,
tussle,
lock horns,
cross swords
in the sense of squabble
Definition
to quarrel over a small matter
The siblings squabble like they did when they were children.
Synonyms
quarrel,
fight,
argue,
row,
clash,
dispute,
scrap (informal),
fall out (informal),
brawl,
spar,
wrangle,
bicker,
have words,
fight like cat and dog,
go at it hammer and tongs
in the sense of wrangle
Definition
to argue noisily or angrily
The two parties are still wrangling over the timing of the election.