different between bare vs spare

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /b??(?)/, /b??(?)/, enPR: bâr
• (US) IPA^(key): /b???/, enPR: bâr
• Rhymes: -??(?)
• Homophone: bear

Etymology 1

From Middle English bare, bar, from Old English bær (“bare, naked, open”), from Proto-West Germanic *ba?, from Proto-Germanic *bazaz (“bare, naked”), from Proto-Indo-European *b?osós, from *b?os- (“bare, barefoot”).

Cognate with Scots bare, bair (“bare”), Saterland Frisian bar (“bare”), West Frisian baar (“bare”), Dutch baar (“bare”), German bar (“bare”), Swedish bar (“bare”), Icelandic ber (“bare”), Lithuanian basas (“barefoot, bare”), Polish bosy (“barefoot”).

Adjective

bare (comparative barer, superlative barest)

1. Minimal; that is or are just sufficient.
2. Naked, uncovered.
3. Having no supplies.

   a room bare of furniture

   The cupboard was bare.

   • 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, "[1]," New York Times (retrieved 31 October 2012):

     Localities across New Jersey imposed curfews to prevent looting. In Monmouth, Ocean and other counties, people waited for hours for gasoline at the few stations that had electricity. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare.

4. Having no decoration.

   The walls of this room are bare — why not hang some paintings on them?

5. Having had what usually covers (something) removed.

   The trees were left bare after the swarm of locusts devoured all the leaves.

6. (MLE, Toronto, not comparable) A lot or lots of.

   It's bare money to get in the club each time, man.

7. With head uncovered; bareheaded.
8. Without anything to cover up or conceal one's thoughts or actions; open to view; exposed.
9. (figuratively) Mere; without embellishment.
10. Threadbare, very worn.
    • c. 1593, William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act II, scene iv:

      for it appears, by their bare liveries, that they live by your bare words.

11. Not insured.
    • 1987, 1 December, ABA Journal (page 86)

      Before the company was formed, the firm went bare for about three months in 1985, but it now has prior acts coverage for that time.

    • 1994, David S. Haviland, The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice (page 310)

      That a firm chooses to go bare has no effect on whether it gets sued or not.

Synonyms

• (minimal): mere, minimal
• (without a condom): Thesaurus:condomless
• (naked): exposed, naked, nude, uncovered, undressed
• (having no supplies): empty, unfurnished, unstocked, unsupplied
• (having no decoration): empty, plain, unadorned, undecorated
• (having had what usually covers (something) removed): despoiled, stripped, uncovered

Antonyms

• (minimal): ample, plentiful, sufficient
• (naked): covered, covered up, dressed, unexposed
• (having no supplies): full, furnished, stocked, supplied, well-stocked
• (having no decoration): adorned, decorated, ornate
• (having had what usually covers (something) removed): covered

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

bare

1. (Britain, slang) Very; significantly.

   That pissed me off bare.

   It's taking bare time.

2. Barely.
3. Without a condom.

Translations

Noun

bare (plural bares)

1. (‘the bare’) The surface, the (bare) skin.
   • 1599, John Marston, Antonio and Mellida

     In sad good earnest, sir, you have toucht the very bare of naked truth [...]

   • 2002, Darren Shan, Hunters of the dusk: 7:

     Vancha clasped the bare of my neck and squeezed amiably.

2. Surface; body; substance.
   • c. 1599, John Marston, Antonio and Mellida

     You have touched the very bare of naked truth.

3. (architecture) That part of a roofing slate, shingle, tile, or metal plate, which is exposed to the weather.

Etymology 2

From Middle English baren, from Old English barian, from Proto-Germanic *baz?n? (“to bare, make bare”).

Verb

bare (third-person singular simple present bares, present participle baring, simple past and past participle bared)

1. (transitive) To uncover; to reveal.

Usage notes

The verb should not be confused with the verb bear.

Synonyms

• (uncover): expose, lay bare, reveal, show, uncover; see also Thesaurus:reveal

Antonyms

• (uncover): cover, cover up, hide

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 3

Inflected forms.

Verb

bare

1. (obsolete) simple past tense of bear

   • And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon

   • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 5

     And so I put thee on my shoulder and bare thee back, and here thou art in David's room, and shalt find board and bed with me as long as thou hast mind to

References

• bare in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• bare in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• Aber, Bear, Brea, Reba, bear, brae, rabe

Basque

Pronunciation

• (standard) IPA^(key): /ba.?e/

Etymology 1

Adjective

bare (comparative bareago, superlative bareen, excessive bareegi)

1. calm

Declension

Etymology 2

Noun

bare anim

1. slug

Declension

Etymology 3

Noun

bare inan

1. spleen

Declension

References

• “bare” in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus
• “bare” in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus
• “bare” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask, sussex.ac.uk

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?bar?/

Noun

bare

1. vocative singular of bar

Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ba?r?/, [?b????]

Etymology 1

From the adjective bar (“naked”).

Adverb

bare

1. just
2. simply
3. only, merely

Conjunction

bare

1. I wish, I hope, if only (introduces a wish)
   • 1979, Tove Ditlevsen, Vi har kun hinanden: To som elsker hinanden (?ISBN)

     Bare vi var alene.

     I wish we were alone.

   • 2014, Pernille Eybye, Blodets bånd #1: Blodsøstre, Tellerup A/S (?ISBN)

     „Bare jeg kunne blive hele natten," fortsatte han.

     "If only I could stay all night", he continued.

   • 2013, Lyngby-Taarbæk Bibliotekerne, Tanker om tid: 15 udvalgte noveller, BoD – Books on Demand (?ISBN), page 43

     Bare jeg kunne spole tiden tilbage.

     If only I could rewind time.

2. if only (introduces a conditional subclause)

Synonyms

• gid, om, hvis bare, kun

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Adjective

bare

1. inflection of bar:
   1. definite singular
   2. plural

Dutch

Pronunciation

Verb

bare

1. (archaic) singular present subjunctive of baren

Italian

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -are

Noun

bare f

1. plural of bara

Anagrams

• erba

Lithuanian

Noun

bare m

1. locative/vocative singular of baras

Manx

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

bare

1. best

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *b?ra, from Proto-West Germanic *b?ru, from Proto-Germanic *b?r?.

Noun

bâre f

1. bier, stretcher

Declension

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Dutch: baar

Further reading

• “bare (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929) , “bare (IV)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, ?ISBN, page IV

Middle English

Noun

bare

1. (Northern) Alternative form of bor

Miriwung

Verb

bare

1. to stand

Northern Kurdish

Etymology

Compare Persian ????? (bâre, “subject, issue”).

Noun

bare m

1. topic
2. hashtag

Derived terms

• di bareya ... de

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

bare

1. definite singular of bar
2. plural of bar

Adverb

bare

1. only, merely, just
2. but

Conjunction

bare

1. if; as long as

See also

• berre (Nynorsk)

References

• “bare” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Anagrams

• aber

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adverb

bare

1. form removed with the spelling reform of 2012; superseded by berre

Serbo-Croatian

Noun

bare (Cyrillic spelling ????)

1. vocative singular of b?r

Noun

bare (Cyrillic spelling ????)

1. inflection of b?ra:
   1. genitive singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative plural

Swedish

Adjective

bare

1. absolute definite natural masculine form of bar.

Anagrams

• aber

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?sp??(?)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?sp???/
• Rhymes: -??(?)

Etymology 1

From Middle English spare, spar, from Old English spær (“sparing, scant”), from Proto-Germanic *sparaz (compare with Dutch spaar(zaam), German spar(sam) and spär(lich), Swedish spar(sam), Icelandic sparr (“sparing”)), from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (compare Latin (pro)sperus (“lucky”), Old Church Slavonic ????? (spor?, “plentiful”), Albanian shperr (“earn money”), Persian ????? (sep?r, “entrust; deposit”), Ancient Greek ??????? (sparnós, “rare”), Sanskrit ????? (sphirá, “thick”)).

Adjective

spare (comparative sparer, superlative sparest)

1. Scant; not abundant or plentiful.

   a spare diet
2. Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; not spending much money.
   • 1602, Richard Carew, Survey of Cornwall

     He was spare, […] but discreet of speech.
3. Being more than what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous.

   I have no spare time.
4. Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency.

   a spare anchor; a spare wheel or tyre

5. Not occupied or in current use.
6. Lean; lacking flesh; meager; thin; gaunt.
8. (Britain, informal) Very angry; frustrated or distraught.

   When he found out that someone had broken the window, he went spare.

   The poor girl is going spare, stuck in the house all day with the kids like that.

   • 2006, Tate Hallaway, Tall, Dark & Dead:

     “That'll drive him spare.”
9. (obsolete, Britain, dialect) Slow.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Grose to this entry?)

Derived terms

Descendants

• ? Welsh: sbâr

Translations

Noun

spare (plural spares)

1. The act of sparing; moderation; restraint.
   • 1600, Philemon Holland, The Romane Historie

     men slaine, then without any spare at all they trampled over the dead carkasses

2. Parsimony; frugal use.
3. An opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket.
4. That which has not been used or expended.
5. A spare part, especially a spare tire.
6. A superfluous or second-best person, specially (in a dynastic context) in the phrase "An heir and a spare".
7. (bowling) The right of bowling again at a full set of pins, after having knocked all the pins down in less than three bowls. If all the pins are knocked down in one bowl it is a double spare; in two bowls, a single spare.
8. (bowling) The act of knocking down all remaining pins in second ball of a frame; this entitles the pins knocked down on the next ball to be added to the score for that frame.
9. (Canada) A free period; a block of school during which one does not have a class.

Etymology 2

From Middle English sparen, sparien, from Old English sparian (“to spare, show mercy to, refrain from injuring or destroying”), from Proto-Germanic *spar?n?, *spar?n? (“to save, keep, spare”), from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (“to be productive, earn”). Cognate with Scots spar, spare, spair (“to spare”), West Frisian sparje (“to save, spare”), Dutch sparen (“to save, spare”), German sparen (“to save, conserve, economise”), Swedish spara (“to save, save up”), Icelandic spara (“to save, conserve”).

Verb

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

1. To show mercy.
   1. (intransitive) To desist; to stop; to refrain.
   2. (intransitive) To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance.
   3. (transitive) To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy.
      • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

        Kill me, if you please, or spare me.
2. To keep.
   1. (intransitive) To be frugal; not to be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious.
   2. (transitive) To keep to oneself; to forbear to impart or give.
   3. (transitive) To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty.
3. (transitive) (to give up): To deprive oneself of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with.
   • a. 1779, Earl of Roscommon, “The Twenty-second Ode of the First Book of Horace”:

     Where angry Jove did never spare / One breath of kind and temperate air.

   • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, The History of Henry the Fourth (Part 1), Act V, scene iv:

     Poor Jack, farewell! / I could have better spared a better man

Descendants

• ? Welsh: sbario

Translations

Anagrams

• Asper, Earps, Pears, Peras, RESPA, Rapes, Spear, Spera, apers, apres, après, aprés, as per, asper, pares, parse, pears, prase, presa, præs., rapes, reaps, sarpe, spear

Danish

Etymology 1

From English spare. Related to the following verb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sp??r/, [?sb????], [?sb?æ??]

Noun

spare c (singular definite sparen, plural indefinite spare or spares)

1. (bowling) spare (the act of knocking down all remaining pins in second ball of a frame)

Inflection

References

• “spare,1” in Den Danske Ordbog

Etymology 2

From Old Norse spara, from Proto-Germanic *spar?n?, cognate with Swedish spara, English spare, German sparen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spa?r?/, [?sb????]
• Homophones: sparer, sparre, sparrer

Verb

spare (past tense sparede, past participle sparet)

1. to save
2. to spare
3. to economize
4. to save up

Inflection

References

• “spare,2” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Pronunciation

Verb

spare

1. (archaic) singular present subjunctive of sparen

French

Etymology 1

From Latin sparus

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spa?/

Noun

spare m (plural spares)

1. A fish of the superorder Acanthopterygii

Etymology 2

From English spare

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sp??/

Noun

spare m (plural spares)

1. (bowling) a spare.

Related terms

• strike

German

Verb

spare

1. inflection of sparen:
   1. first-person singular present
   2. first/third-person singular subjunctive I
   3. singular imperative

Italian

Verb

spare

1. third-person singular present indicative of sparere

Anagrams

• aspre, parse, persa, presa, saper, spera

Latin

Noun

spare

1. vocative singular of sparus

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

spare

1. Alternative form of sparre

Etymology 2

Verb

spare

1. Alternative form of sparren (“to close”)

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse spara

Verb

spare (imperative spar, present tense sparer, passive spares, simple past sparte, past participle spart, present participle sparende)

1. to save

Derived terms

• sparebank

References

• “spare” in The Bokmål Dictionary.