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. [1913 Webster]

Blue spar, Cube spar, etc. See under Blue, Cube, etc.

spar, n. [OE. sparre; akin to D. spar, G. sparren, OHG. sparro, Dan. & Sw. sparre, Icel. sparri; of uncertain origin. Spar, v. t. ].

A general term any round piece of timber used as a mast, yard, boom, or gaff. [1913 Webster]
Formerly, a piece of timber, in a general sense; -- still applied locally to rafters. [1913 Webster]
The bar of a gate or door. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

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. [OE. sparren, AS. sparrian; akin to G. sperren, Icel. sperra; from the noun. Spara beam, bar.].

To bolt; to bar. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
To To supply or equip with spars, as a vessel. [1913 Webster]
" A vessel equipped with spars that are too large or too small is said to be oversparred or undersparred." [1913 Webster]

spar, v. i. [Of uncertain origin; cf. OF. esparer to kick, F. éparer, or Icel. sperra to stretch out the legs, to struggle.].

To strike with the feet or spurs, as cocks do. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
"Made believe to spar at Paul with great science." [1913 Webster]
To contest in words; to wrangle. [1913 Webster]

spar, n.

A contest at sparring or boxing. [1913 Webster]
A movement of offense or defense in boxing. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

spar, n.
1 a stout pole esp. used for the mast, yard, etc. of a ship.
2 the main longitudinal beam of an aeroplane wing.

Idiom

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.

spar, 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.
--n.
1 a a sparring motion. b a boxing-match.
2 a cock-fight.
3 an argument or dispute.

Idiom

sparring partner
1 a boxer employed to engage in sparring with another as training.
2 a person with whom one enjoys arguing.

spar, n. any crystalline, easily cleavable and non-lustrous mineral, e.g. calcite or fluorspar.

Derivative

sparry adj.

Etymology

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

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THESAURUS

spar

Chinese boxing, altercate, argue, argufy, bandy words, bar, bare pole, battle, beam, bicker, boom, bout, bowsprit, box, boxing, boxing match, brawl, broil, bumpkin, cant hook, cavil, choplogic, clash, claw bar, close, close fighting, club, collide, combat, come to blows, contend, contest, crank, cross swords, crossjack yard, crosstree, crow, crowbar, cut and thrust, differ, discept, dispute, dolphin striker, duel, exchange blows, fence, feud, fight, fight a duel, fighting, fisticuffs, flite, flying jib boom, fore jack, fore-skysail mast, fore-skysail yard, fore-topgallant mast, fore-topgallant yard, fore-topmast, foremast, foreroyal mast, foreroyal yard, foreyard, gaff, give and take, give satisfaction, gooseneck, grapple, grapple with, handspike, hassle, have it out, have words, infighting, iron crow, jack, jib boom, jigger, jimmy, join issue, jostle, joust, king post, lazy jack, lever, limb, lock horns, logomachize, lower boom, main-royal mast, main-royal yard, main-skysail mast, main-topgallant mast, mainmast, marlinespike, mast, masthead, mix it up, mizzen, mizzen-royal mast, mizzenmast, moot, outrigger, peavey, pedal, pettifog, pinch bar, plead, pole, polemicize, polemize, prize, prizefight, prizefighting, pry, pugilism, quarrel, quibble, rassle, riot, ripping bar, run a tilt, savate, scramble, scrap, scuffle, set to, shadowboxing, skirmish, skysail yard, spanker boom, spanker gaff, spars, spat, spreader, sprit, squabble, stick, strive, struggle, tack bumpkin, take sides, the clinches, the fights, the ring, thrash out, thrust and parry, tiff, tilt, timber, topgallant mast, topgallant yard, topmast, tourney, treadle, tree, try conclusions, tussle, wage war, war, whisker boom, whisker pole, wrangle, wrecking bar, wrestle, yard, yardarm

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ROGET THESAURUS

spar

Discord

VB be discordant, disagree, come amiss, clash, jar, jostle, pull different ways, conflict, have no measures with, misunderstand one another, live like cat and dog, differ, dissent, have a bone to pick, have a crow to pluck with, fall out, quarrel, dispute, litigate, controvert, squabble, wrangle, jangle, brangle, bicker, nag, spar, have words, with, fall foul of, split, break with, break squares with, part company with, declare war, try conclusions, join issue, put in issue, pick a quarrel, fasten a quarrel on, sow dissension, stir up dissension, embroil, entangle, disunite, widen the breach, set at odds, set together by the ears, set against, pit against, get into hot water, fish in troubled waters, brawl, kick up a row, kick up a dust, turn the house out of window, be discordant, jar.

Contention

N contention, strife, contest, contestation, struggle, belligerency, opposition, controversy, polemics, debate, war of words, logomachy, litigation, paper war, high words, sparring, competition, rivalry, corrivalry, corrivalship, agonism, concours, match, race, horse racing, heat, steeple chase, handicap, regatta, field day, sham fight, Derby day, turf, sporting, bullfight, tauromachy, gymkhana, boat race, torpids, wrestling, greco-roman wrestling, pugilism, boxing, fisticuffs, the manly art of self-defense, spar, mill, set-to, round, bout, event, prize fighting, quarterstaff, single stick, gladiatorship, gymnastics, jiujitsu, jujutsu, kooshti, sumo, athletics, athletic sports, games of skill, shindy, fracas, clash of arms, tussle, scuffle, broil, fray, affray, affrayment, velitation, colluctation, luctation, brabble, brigue, scramble, melee, scrimmage, stramash, bushfighting, free fight, stand up fight, hand to hand, running fight, conflict, skirmish, rencounter, encounter, rencontre, collision, affair, brush, fight, battle, battle royal, combat, action, engagement, joust, tournament, tilt, tilting, tournay, list, pitched battle, death struggle, struggle for life or death, life or death struggle, Armageddon, hard knocks, sharp contest, tug of war, naval engagement, naumachia, sea fight, duel, duello, single combat, monomachy, satisfaction, passage d'armes, passage of arms, affair of honor, triangular duel, hostile meeting, digladiation, deeds of arms, feats of arms, appeal to arms, pugnacity, combativeness, bone of contention, contending, together by the ears, at loggerheads, at war, at issue, competitive, rival, belligerent, contentious, combative, bellicose, unpeaceful, warlike, quarrelsome, pugnacious, pugilistic, gladiatorial, palestric, palestrical, a verbis ad verbera, a word and a blow, a very pretty quarrel as it stands, commune periculum concordiam parit, lis litem generat.

VB contend, contest, strive, struggle, scramble, wrestle, spar, square, exchange blows, exchange fisticuffs, fib, justle, tussle, tilt, box, stave, fence, skirmish, pickeer, fight, wrangle, contend with, grapple with, engage with, close with, buckle with, bandy with, try conclusions with, have a brush, with, tilt with, encounter, fall foul of, pitch into, clapperclaw, run a tilt at, oppose, reluct, join issue, come to blows, go to loggerheads, set to, come to the scratch, exchange shots, measure swords, meet hand to hand, take up the cudgels, take up the glove, take up the gauntlet, enter the lists, couch one's lance, give satisfaction, appeal to arms, lay about one, break the peace, compete with, cope with, vie with, race with, outvie, emulate, rival, run a race, contend for, stipulate for, stickle for, insist upon, make a point of.

Pendency

N pendency, dependency, suspension, hanging, pedicel, pedicle, peduncle, tail, train, flap, skirt, pigtail, pony tail, pendulum, hangnail peg, knob, button, hook, nail, stud, ring, staple, tenterhook, fastening, spar, horse, pendent, pendulous, pensile, hanging, beetling, jutting over, overhanging, projecting, dependent, suspended, loose, flowing, having a peduncle, pedunculate, tailed, caudate.