Aircraft wings and helicopter blades use spars. The main weight-bearing beam (made of wood, metal or some exotic stuff like carbon-fiber) is surrounded by smaller struts that give the wing or blade its lifting shape. On some helicopters, such as the US Navy's SH-60B Seahawk, the spar is hollow and pressurized. If the gas leaks out, there is a crack in the blade, and it is replaced.

Transportation: watercraft: sailboat

A spar is any linear object on a sailboat used to spread or control the sail. Common spars include mast, booms (including jib booms and flying jib booms), gaff, sprit, spinnaker pole, bowsprit, and yards including the lateen, lug, and squared yards. Traditionally spars were made of wood, both solid and hollow, but beginning in the 19th century they are made of steel, aluminum extrusions, and exotic frp composites including carbon fibre.

Spar (?), n. [AS. spaer in spaerstan chalkstone; akin to MHG. spar, G. sparkalk plaster.] Min.

An old name for a nonmetallic mineral, usually cleavable and somewhat lustrous; as, calc spar, or calcite, fluor spar, etc. It was especially used in the case of the gangue minerals of a metalliferous vein.

Blue spar, Cube spar, etc. See under Blue, Cube, etc.

 

© Webster 1913.


Spar, n. [OE. sparre; akin to D. spar, G. sparren, OHG. sparro, Dan.& Sw. sparre, Icel. sparri; of uncertain origin. 171. Cf. Spar, v. t. ]

1. Naut.

A general term any round piece of timber used as a mast, yard, boom, or gaff.

2. Arch.

Formerly, a piece of timber, in a general sense; -- still applied locally to rafters.

3.

The bar of a gate or door.

[Obs.]

Chaucer.

Spar buoy Naut., a buoy anchored by one end so that the other end rises above the surface of the water. -- Spar deck Naut., the upper deck of a vessel; especially, in a frigate, the deck which is continued in a straight line from the quarter-deck to the forecastle, and on which spare spars are usually placed. See under Deck. -- Spar torpedo Naut., a torpedo carried on the end of a spar usually projecting from the bow of a vessel, and intended to explode upon contact with an enemy's ships.

 

© Webster 1913.


Spar, v. t. [OE. sparren, AS. sparrian; akin to G. sperren, Icel. sperra; from the noun. &root;171. See Spara beam, bar.]

1.

To bolt; to bar.

[Obs.]

Chaucer.

2.

To To supply or equip with spars, as a vessel.

⇒ A vessel equipped with spars that are too large or too small is said to be oversparred or undersparred.

 

© Webster 1913.


Spar, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sparred (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sparring.] [Of uncertain origin; cf. OF. esparer to kick, F. 'eparer, or Icel. sperra to stretch out the legs, to struggle.]

1.

To strike with the feet or spurs, as cocks do.

2.

To use the fists and arms scientifically in attack or defense; to contend or combat with the fists, as for exercise or amusement; to box.

Made believe to spar at Paul with great science. Dickens.

3.

To contest in words; to wrangle.

[Colloq.]

<-- sparring partner, (Boxing) one who spars with a boxer as an opponent for training purposes. -->

 

© Webster 1913.


Spar, n.

1.

A contest at sparring or boxing.

2.

A movement of offense or defense in boxing.

 

© Webster 1913.

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