Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - spar

1. n. 1 a stout pole esp. used for the mast, yard, etc. of a ship. 2 the main longitudinal beam of an aeroplane wing. Phrases and idioms spar-buoy a buoy made of a spar with one end moored so that the other stands up. spar-deck the light upper deck of a vessel. Etymology: ME sparre, sperre f. OF esparre or ON sperra or direct f. Gmc: cf. MDu., MLG sparre, OS, OHG sparro 2. v. & n. --v.intr. (sparred, sparring) 1 (often foll. by at) make the motions of boxing without landing heavy blows. 2 engage in argument (they are always sparring). 3 (of a gamecock) fight with the feet or spurs. --n. 1 a a sparring motion. b a boxing-match. 2 a cock-fight. 3 an argument or dispute. Phrases and idioms sparring partner 1 a boxer employed to engage in sparring with another as training. 2 a person with whom one enjoys arguing. Etymology: ME f. OE sperran, spyrran, of unkn. orig.: cf. ON sperrask kick out 3. n. any crystalline, easily cleavable and non-lustrous mineral, e.g. calcite or fluorspar. Derivatives sparry adj. Etymology: MLG, rel. to OE sp{aelig}ren of plaster, sp{aelig}rstan gypsum