Meaning of SPAR in English


1. n.1 a stout pole esp. used for the mast, yard, etc. of a ship.

2 the main longitudinal beam of an aeroplane wing.

Phrases and idioms:

spar-buoy a buoy made of a spar with one end moored so that the other stands up. spar-deck the light upper deck of a vessel.

Etymology: ME sparre, sperre f. OF esparre or ON sperra or direct f. Gmc: cf. MDu., MLG sparre, OS, OHG sparro 2. v. & n.

--v.intr. (sparred, sparring)

1. (often foll. by at) make the motions of boxing without landing heavy blows.

2 engage in argument (they are always sparring).

3 (of a gamecock) fight with the feet or spurs.


1. a a sparring motion. b a boxing-match.

2 a cock-fight.

3 an argument or dispute.

Phrases and idioms:

sparring partner

1. a boxer employed to engage in sparring with another as training.

2 a person with whom one enjoys arguing.

Etymology: ME f. OE sperran, spyrran, of unkn. orig.: cf. ON sperrask kick out 3. n. any crystalline, easily cleavable and non-lustrous mineral, e.g. calcite or fluorspar.


sparry adj.

Etymology: MLG, rel. to OE sp{aelig}ren of plaster, sp{aelig}rstan gypsum

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.