spar
spar — verb
- sparpresent simple I / you / we / they
- sparshe / she / it
- sparredpast simple
- sparring-ing form
1. to take part in a light boxing session with a training partner, practising moves
to take part in a light boxing session with a training partner, practising moves and speed rather than trying to hit with force
Nadia sparred with her coach every morning for three weeks before the regional finals.
spar + with + [person] — common pattern for the partner
The two boxers sparred lightly in the gym, focusing on footwork and defence.
collocation: spar lightly — signals non-aggressive training
Emre injured his shoulder while sparring with a former Olympic medallist during training camp.
Before a title fight, professional boxers usually spar several rounds each day to stay sharp.
Liam sparred with a taller opponent to practise reaching his target from a distance.
文法句型
spar + with + [person]
用法筆記
Intransitive only — you spar with someone, not *spar someone. Frequently used in sports-training contexts; the object can be implied ('We sparred for an hour').
常見錯誤
2. to exchange teasing or mildly critical comments with someone in a way that is no
to exchange teasing or mildly critical comments with someone in a way that is not truly angry, often during a discussion or debate
The two journalists sparred over the new policy during the live broadcast.
spar + over + [topic] — most common preposition for the subject of the argument
Anya and her brother were sparring about which restaurant to go to for dinner.
During the panel discussion, the guests sparred politely but firmly on the question of funding.
Tunde and his cousin sparred all evening over which football team had the better record.
The lawyers sparred in court for an hour before the judge called for a recess.
- argue
broader and can be friendly or hostile; 'spar' specifically suggests a light, almost playful tone
- debate
more formal and structured; a debate follows rules, while sparring is looser
- banter
even lighter — teasing and joking without real disagreement; sparring involves actual disagreement but without hostility
- agree
opposite action — when you agree, there is no disagreement to spar over
文法句型
spar + over / about + [topic]
用法筆記
Commonly followed by 'over' or 'about' to introduce the topic. The tone is playful or professional but not hostile — distinguish from 'quarrel', which implies real anger.
常見錯誤
spar — noun
- sparsingular
- sparsplural
1. a long, sturdy rod on a sailing vessel that holds the sails in position and supp
a long, sturdy rod on a sailing vessel that holds the sails in position and supports the ropes and pulleys of the rigging
The storm snapped the main spar, leaving the crew unable to raise the sails.
collocation: main spar — the most important supporting pole on a ship
Ritu helped the sailors tie the canvas securely around the wooden spar.
wooden / metal spar — material modifiers are common
Xiu climbed carefully along the spar to reach the torn section of the sail.
The ship's spars were carved from pine, chosen for their strength and light weight.
A broken spar drifted in the harbour after the fishing boat collapsed during the gale.
- mast
a type of spar that stands vertically; 'mast' is more common in everyday language, while 'spar' is a broader technical term for any supporting pole
- boom
a specific horizontal spar at the bottom of a sail; learners may overgeneralise 'boom' to mean any spar
- pole
generic term; 'spar' is the precise nautical word for a pole that supports rigging
文法句型
[determiner] + spar
spar + of + [material]
用法筆記
Used mostly in sailing contexts. The main types of spars on a ship include the mast (vertical), the boom (horizontal, bottom of a sail), and the yard (horizontal, across a mast).
2. a training activity in which boxers practise their moves against each other with
a training activity in which boxers practise their moves against each other without hitting with full force
Mark did three rounds of light spar at the gym before the trainer called time.
uncountable: three rounds of spar / some spar
During Thursday's spar, Sofia practised slipping punches and countering with short hooks to the body.
concrete training scenario: slip + counter — common defensive-offensive combination
After weeks of spar, Adina felt confident enough to enter her first amateur competition.
The coach scheduled a short spar between the two fighters to test their new techniques.
Mira kept her spar sessions short but intense, focusing on defence drills.
- sparring
the more common noun form; 'spar' as a noun is shorter and sometimes used in informal gym talk, while 'sparring' is standard
- practice
broader term; spar is one specific kind of boxing practice involving a partner
- training session
more general; a spar is a type of training session focused on partner work
文法句型
[amount] + of + spar
a + [adjective] + spar
用法筆記
Often uncountable ('He does spar every Thursday') but also countable when referring to a single session ('We had a good spar'). Not used for competitive boxing matches — only for controlled training.