Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SPARE, a. [Sax. spær.]

1. Scanty; parsimonious; not abundant; as, a spare diet. He was spare but discreet of speech. – Carew. [We more generally use, in the latter application, sparing; as, he was sparing of words.]
2. That can be dispensed with; not wanted; superfluous. I have no spare time on my hands. If that no spare clothes he had to give. – Spenser.
3. Lean; wanting flesh; meager; thin. O give me your spare men, and spare me the great ones. – Shak.
4. Slow. [Not in use or local.] – Grose.