span|iel /spæ njəl/ (spaniels ) N‑COUNT A spaniel is a type of dog with long ears that hang down.
Span|ish /spæ n I ʃ/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Spanish means belonging or relating to Spain, or to its people, language, or culture. □ …a Spanish sherry. □ …the Spanish Ambassador.
2 N‑PLURAL The Spanish are the people of Spain.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Spanish is the main language spoken in Spain, and in many countries in South and Central America.
spank /spæ ŋk/ (spanks , spanking , spanked ) VERB If someone spanks a child, they punish them by hitting them on the bottom several times with their hand. □ [V n] When I used to do that when I was a kid, my mom would spank me.
spank|ing /spæ ŋk I ŋ/ (spankings )
1 N‑COUNT If someone gives a child a spanking , they punish them by hitting them on the bottom several times with their hand. □ Andrea gave her son a sound spanking.
2 ADV [ADV adj] If you describe something as spanking new, spanking clean, or spanking white, you mean that it is very new, very clean, or very white. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ …a spanking new Mercedes.
span|ner /spæ nə r / (spanners )
1 N‑COUNT A spanner is a metal tool whose end fits round a nut so that you can turn it to loosen or tighten it. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, usually use wrench , monkey wrench
2 PHRASE If someone throws a spanner in the works , they prevent something happening smoothly in the way that it was planned, by causing a problem or difficulty. [BRIT ] □ A bad result is sure to throw a spanner in the works. in AM, use throw a wrench , throw a monkey wrench
spar /spɑː r / (spars , sparring , sparred )
1 VERB If you spar with 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. □ [V + with ] With protective gear on you can spar with a partner. □ [V ] They sparred for a moment, on the brink of a full fight.
2 VERB If you spar with someone, you argue with them but not in an aggressive or serious way. □ [V + with ] Over the years he sparred with his friend over political tactics. □ [V ] They had always gotten along, even when they sparred.
spare ◆◇◇ /speə r / (spares , sparing , spared )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use spare to describe something that is the same as things that you are already using, but that you do not need yet and are keeping ready in case another one is needed. □ Don't forget to take a few spare batteries. □ He could have taken a spare key. □ The wagons carried spare ammunition. ● N‑COUNT Spare is also a noun. □ Give me the trunk key and I'll get the spare.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use spare to describe something that is not being used by anyone, and is therefore available for someone to use. □ The spare bedroom is on the second floor. □ There was hardly a spare inch of space to be found.
3 VERB [only to-inf] If you have something such as time, money, or space to spare , you have some extra time, money, or space that you have not used or which you do not need. □ [V ] You got here with ninety seconds to spare. □ [V ] It's not as if he has money to spare.
4 VERB If you spare time or another resource for a particular purpose, you make it available for that purpose. □ [V n] She said that she could only spare 35 minutes for our meeting. □ [V n] He suggested that his country could not spare the troops for such an operation.
5 VERB [usu passive] If a person or a place is spared , they are not harmed, even though other people or places have been. [LITERARY ] □ [be V -ed] We have lost everything, but thank God, our lives have been spared.
6 VERB If you spare someone an unpleasant experience, you prevent them from suffering it. □ [V n n] I wanted to spare Frances the embarrassment of discussing this subject. □ [V n] She's just trying to spare Shawna's feelings.
7 → see also sparing
8 PHRASE If you spare a thought for an unfortunate person, you make an effort to think sympathetically about them and their bad luck. □ Spare a thought for the nation's shopkeepers–consumer sales slid again in May. SYNONYMS spare ADJ 2
extra: There's an extra blanket in the bottom drawer of the cupboard.
surplus: Few people have large sums of surplus cash.
leftover: …leftover pieces of wallpaper.
spa re pa rt (spare parts ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Spare parts are parts that you can buy separately to replace old or broken parts in a piece of equipment. They are usually parts that are designed to be easily removed or fitted.
spa re roo m (spare rooms ) N‑COUNT A spare room is a bedroom which is kept especially for visitors to sleep in.
spa re ti me N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] Your spare time is the time during which you do not have to work and you can do whatever you like. □ In her spare time she read books on cooking.
spa re ty re (spare tyres ) in AM, use spare tire 1 N‑COUNT A spare tyre is a wheel with a tyre on it that you keep in your car in case you get a flat tyre and need to replace one of your wheels.
2 N‑COUNT If you describe someone as having a spare tyre , you mean that they are fat around the waist. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ]
spa re whee l (spare wheels ) N‑COUNT A spare wheel is a wheel with a tyre on it that you keep in your car in case you get a flat tyre and need to replace one of your wheels. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, use spare tire