spar
(verb) fight verbally; “They were sparring all night”
spar
(verb) box lightly
spar
(verb) fight with spurs; “the gamecocks were sparring”
spar
(verb) furnish with spars
Source: WordNet® 3.1
sparred
simple past tense and past participle of spar
• draper's, drapers
Source: Wiktionary
Spar, n. Etym: [AS. spær in spærstan chalkstone; akin to MHG. spar, G. sparkalk plaster.] (Min.)
Definition: An old name for a nonmetallic mineral, usually cleavable and somewhat lustrous; as, calc spar, or calcite, fluor spar, etc. It was especially used in the case of the gangue minerals of a metalliferous vein. Blue spar, Cube spar, etc. See under Blue, Cube, etc.
Spar, n. Etym: [OE. sparre; akin to D. spar, G. sparren, OHG. sparro, Dan.& Sw. sparre, Icel. sparri; of uncertain origin. Spar, v. t. ]
1. (Naut.)
Definition: A general term any round piece of timber used as a mast, yard, boom, or gaff.
2. (Arch.)
Definition: Formerly, a piece of timber, in a general sense; -- still applied locally to rafters.
3. The bar of a gate or door. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spar buoy (Naut.), a buoy anchored by one end so that the other end rises above the surface of the water.
– Spar deck (Naut.), the upper deck of a vessel; especially, in a frigate, the deck which is continued in a straight line from the quarter-deck to the forecastle, and on which spare spars are usually placed. See under Deck.
– Spar torpedo (Naut.), a torpedo carried on the end of a spar usually projecting from the bow of a vessel, and intended to explode upon contact with an enemy's ships.
Spar, v. t. Etym: [OE. sparren, AS. sparrian; akin to G. sperren, Icel. sperra; from the noun. sq. root171. See Spara beam, bar.]
1. To bolt; to bar. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. To To supply or equip with spars, as a vessel.
Note: A vessel equipped with spars that are too large or too small is said to be oversparred or undersparred.
Spar, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sparred; p. pr. & vb. n. Sparring.] Etym: [Of uncertain origin; cf. OF. esparer to kick, F. Ă©parer, or Icel. sperra to stretch out the legs, to struggle.]
1. To strike with the feet or spurs, as cocks do.
2. To use the fists and arms scientifically in attack or defense; to contend or combat with the fists, as for exercise or amusement; to box. Made believe to spar at Paul with great science. Dickens.
3. To contest in words; to wrangle. [Colloq.]
Spar, n.
1. A contest at sparring or boxing.
2. A movement of offense or defense in boxing.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
14 June 2025
(noun) a member of a learned society; “he was elected a fellow of the American Physiological Association”
Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.
