sparring
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spar 1
(spär)n.
1. Nautical A wooden or metal pole, such as a mast, boom, yard, or bowsprit, used to support sails and rigging.
2. A usually metal pole used as part of a crane or derrick.
3. A main structural member in an airplane wing or a tail assembly that runs from tip to tip or from root to tip.
tr.v. sparred, spar·ring, spars
1. To supply with spars.
2. Obsolete To fasten with a bolt.
[Middle English sparre, rafter.]
spar 2
(spär)intr.v. sparred, spar·ring, spars
1.
a. To fight with an opponent in a short bout or practice session, as in boxing or the martial arts.
b. To make boxing or fighting motions without hitting one's opponent.
2. To bandy words about in argument; dispute.
3. To fight by striking with the feet and spurs. Used of gamecocks.
n.
1. A motion of attack or defense in boxing.
2. A sparring match.
[Middle English sparren, to thrust or strike rapidly, perhaps from obsolete French esparer, to kick, from Old Italian sparare, to fling : s-, intensive pref.; see sforzando + parare, to ward off; see parry.]
spar 3
(spär)n.
A nonmetallic, readily cleavable, translucent or transparent light-colored mineral with a shiny luster, such as feldspar.
[Low German, from Middle Low German; akin to Old English spær- (in spær-stān, gypsum).]
SPAR
also Spar (spär)n.
A member of the women's reserve of the US Coast Guard, disbanded as a separate unit in 1946.
[Contraction of Latin semper parātus, always prepared, the motto of the US Coast Guard : semper, always + parātus, prepared.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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| Noun | 1. | sparring - an argument in which the participants are trying to gain some advantage contestation, controversy, disceptation, arguing, argument, contention, disputation, tilt - a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement; "they were involved in a violent argument" |
| 2. | sparring - making the motions of attack and defense with the fists and arms; a part of training for a boxer |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
sparring
:sparring match
sparring partner
n (lit) → Sparringpartner(in) m(f); (fig also) → Kontrahent(in) m(f)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007