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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spare, Spair(e, adj. Also: spar, speyr. [ME and e.m.E. spare (14th c.), spar (c1460). Cf. ON sparr (to be) spared, OE spær, OHG spar, MDu. spaer sparing; Spar(e v.]

1. Held in reserve, spare. Quot. 1538-9 may belong in Spur band n. b. Of land, buildings: Uncultivated, unoccupied.1538–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 259.
Irne werk … virollis tawponis spair bandis and utheris necessaris
1540 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS XIII 183b.
Fische nettis with thair rapis warrapis spar rapis [etc.]
15… Balcarres P. MS V 73b.
Spare whilis iii payer
1679 Rothesay B. Rec. 369.
To have the Militia Companie … in readinesse … with … fixed armes and ane pair of spare shoes by and attour the shoes on his feet
1685 Glamis Bk. Record 81.
No less then 24 oxen in dayly work, besyds a spair ox to each ingeag'd leading stons
b. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 112.
[He] sped hym on spedely on the spare mure
1649 Kingarth Par. Rec. 17.
Any that hes a spaire house therabout to be a schole for a yeire

2. Meagre, scanty. Also transf. and proverb.1643 Acts VI i 26/2.
Victuall in the spairest measure
transf. 1580 Inverness Rec. I 281.
Trocht the greit tempest … quhar the said Thomas was constranit in speyr hoipe to mak calffing to his boit of the sark was on his bak
proverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1706) 262.
Better spare at the breird, nor at the bottom

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