spar

1 any of various nonmetallic minerals (calcite or feldspar) that are light in color and transparent or translucent and cleavable

2 a stout rounded pole of wood or metal used to support rigging

3 making the motions of attack and defense with the fists and arms; a part of training for a boxer [syn: sparring]

1 furnish with spars

2 fight with spurs; "the gamecocks were sparring"

3 box lightly

4 fight verbally; "They were sparring all night" [also: sparring, sparred]

English

Pronunciation

• italbrac RP /spɑː/
• italbrac US /spɑːr/
• Rhymes with: -ɑː(r)

Homophones

• spa (in non-rhotic accents)

Noun

1. A general term any linear object used as a mast, sprit, yard, boom, pole or gaff.
2. In the context of "mineralogy": any crystal with no readily discernible faces.

Verb

1. To fight, especially as practice for martial arts or hand-to-hand combat.

Dutch

Pronunciation

Noun

spar (plural: sparren, diminutive sparretje)

1. fir

Kurdish

Noun

spar

1. errand

In sailing, a spar is a round pole of wood or metal used on a sailing ship. In modern usage it almost always refers to the mast, but historically the term was also used for booms, gaffs, yards, etc.

Spars of all types are used in the rigging of sailing ships to resist compressive and bending forces, and to provide support for the sails.

Wooden ships from the age of sail often carried many extra spars of all types for repairs while at sea. The spar deck of a frigate was so named because it was used to carry spare spars.

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