A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1438, 1499-1500, 1560-1685
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Sparing, Spairing, vbl. n. Also: sparyng(e. [ME and e.m.E. sparynge (1377); Spar(e v.] The action of sparing, in various senses of Spar(e v. Also attrib.(1) 1375 Barb. viii 483.
Thar fayis … strak on thaim forowtyn sparing 1600-1610 Melvill 544.
Great unthankfullnes, committed … in the … governement, namelie, in spairing of Papistis, and giveing remissioune for murther(2) ?1438 Alex. ii 2571.
Thay had plente forout sparing … Of sik thing had thay na wanting — c1420 Wynt. v 5089.
Spend but sparyng [C. sparynge] a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 837. 1685 Hay Fleming Six Saints I 111.
Sparing will not enrich him, and spending will not impoverish himattrib. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 3171.
Sum tyme may chance a man spend mair Upon ane day, nor he may spair To spend in vther nyne … Put spairing dayis and thame togidder [etc.](3) 1635 Justiciary Cases I 235.
Without spairing of coist and charges for our jorney [etc.](4) 1612–13 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 564.
To John Crawfurd … for spairing ane peice grund … to the scolleris to play on
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"Sparing vbl. n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/sparing>
