spared

Verb

spare (third-person singular simple present spares, present participle sparing, simple past and past participle spared)

1. (intransitive) To desist; to stop; to refrain.
2. (intransitive) To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance.
3. (transitive) To preserve (someone) from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm (someone); to show mercy towards.
   • For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 6:34
4. (specifically, transitive) To refrain from killing (someone) or having (someone) killed.
   • Kill me, if you please, or spare me.1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC
5. (intransitive) To be frugal; to not be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious.
   • I, who at some times spend, at others spare, / Divided between carelessness and care.1737, Alexander Pope, The Second Epistle of the Second Book of Horace, Imitated by Mr. Pope
6. (transitive) To keep to oneself; to forbear to impart or give.
   • Thou that day / Thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...

See all 28 meanings of spare