sparing

/'speəriɳ/

Thân thiện

A frugal farmer is sparing with his seeds.

Definition

Adjective 1. Using or giving something in a careful, limited, or restrained way; frugal; economical. It describes the action of avoiding waste, using only what is necessary, or being moderate in consumption or expenditure. 2. Limited or meager in amount, quantity, or degree. It can describe something that is provided or used in small, insufficient amounts.

Usage

• The adjective "sparing" is used to describe a person's behavior, habits, or the manner in which a resource is used.
• It is often followed by the preposition "with" when referring to a tangible resource (e.g., money, food, materials) and "of" when referring to an intangible quality (e.g., praise, words, time).
• It has a generally positive connotation of prudence and responsibility but can have a negative connotation of being stingy or insufficient if overdone or in certain contexts.

Examples

• Describing careful use of resources:
  • She is sparing with the olive oil, using just a drizzle for flavor.
  • A sparing use of fertilizer is better for the environment.
  • He was sparing in his praise, which made his compliments feel more genuine.
• Describing limited amount or degree:
  • The biography was sparing in its details about the author's early life.
  • Please be sparing with the salt; the dish is already seasoned.

Advanced Usage

• "To be sparing of something": To use or give very little of something, often an abstract quality.
  • The old teacher was sparing of smiles but generous with knowledge.
• "Sparing no expense" (Idiomatic Phrase): The opposite meaning, indicating a willingness to spend as much money as necessary.
  • They spared no expense for their daughter's wedding.

Variants and Related Words

• Spare (verb): To refrain from harming, destroying, or using; to give away something one does not need.
  • He asked if I could spare a few minutes to talk.
• Sparingly (adverb): In a sparing manner.
  • Apply the glue sparingly to avoid a mess.

Synonyms

• Frugal: Emphasizes simple and economical living, avoiding luxury and waste.
• Thrifty: Suggests careful management of money and resources, often with the goal of saving.
• Economical: Stresses efficient use without waste, achieving a desired result with minimal input.
• Stingy (Negative): Implies a mean unwillingness to spend or give, often to an unreasonable degree.
• Parsimonious (Formal/Negative): Excessively sparing or frugal; stingy.

Antonyms

• Wasteful
• Extravagant
• Lavish
• Generous (in the context of giving)

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Spare the rod, spoil the child: A proverb suggesting that a lack of discipline will result in a poorly behaved child.
• To have time/money to spare: To have more than enough time or money for what is needed.
  • We arrived at the station with an hour to spare.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. avoiding waste
   • an economical meal
   • an economical shopper
   • a frugal farmer
   • a frugal lunch
   • a sparing father and a spending son
   • sparing in their use of heat and light
   • stinting in bestowing gifts
   • thrifty because they remember the great Depression
   • `scotch' is used only informally

Từ đồng nghĩa

• economical
• frugal
• scotch
• stinting