spars
Trades practice jabs
Spars are the poles that support a ship's sails—masts, yards, booms, and gaffs.
The word extends to similar structural poles in aircraft wings or any sturdy beam.
To spar is to box lightly for practice, trading blows without full force: The fighters sparred before the match.
Figuratively, people spar when they exchange sharp words or argue without serious hostility: The candidates sparred over tax policy.
Upright ship poles
- boomsRumbles or upswings
- gaffsFish-landing hooks; faux pas
- yardarmsHorizontal mast extensions
- riggingRopes controlling ship sails
bowsprit · mainmast · mizzenmast · topmast · foremast · shrouds · forestay · backstay
Combat sport using fists
- boutLimited stretch of something
- matchGame between opponents
- jabQuick, straight blow
- punchStrike with fist
feint · clinch · footwork · gloves · ring · opponent · parry · dodge
Rays or supports
- polesLong sticks or extremities
- raftersSloped roof beams
- joistsHorizontal building beams
- strutsWalks with swagger
braces · trusses · girders · purlins · crossbeams · kingposts · stanchions · framework
Angry verbal dispute
- bickerArgue over trifles
- argueVerbally oppose another's view
- wrangleArgue or herd livestock
- squabbleTrivial noisy argument
dispute · clash · tiff · row · altercation · disagreement · contention · verbal
masts
Upright ship poles
rigging · bowsprit · mainmast · mizzenmast · topmast · foremast · shrouds · forestay · backstay · sailboat
boxing
Combat sport using fists
punch · feint · clinch · footwork · gloves · ring · opponent · parry · dodge · training
beams
Rays or supports
struts · braces · trusses · girders · purlins · crossbeams · kingposts · stanchions · framework · scaffolding
quarrel
Angry verbal dispute
squabble · dispute · clash · tiff · row · altercation · disagreement · contention · verbal · debate
feldspar
Silicate mineral group
translucent · cleavage · calcium · geological · lustre · specimen · ore · vein · mining · rock
- aircraft partswing, wings, fuselage, aileron, ailerons
- airframefuselage, bulkheads, ribs, stringers, monocoque
- thatchingthatch, reed, straw, reeds, palm fronds
- beach debrisdriftwood, seashells, shells, marine debris, wreckage
- long polestent poles, flagpoles, telephone poles, utility poles, bamboo poles
- sailing shipsclipper ship, schooner, galleon, brig, brigantine
sparsagrees
Holds the same opinion
concurs · harmonizes · acquiesces · assents · yields
sparsrests
Ceases work temporarily
stands down · submits · surrenders · embraces · abstains
sparsavoids
Deliberately stays away from
evades · sidesteps · ignores · disengages · backs down
- house sparrowSmall songbird near buildings
- sparring sessionPractice fighting with restraint
- sparse populationFew people per area
- sparsely populatedHaving few inhabitants
- sparring partnerPractice combat opponent
- Captain Jack Sparrow
sparse, sparrow, spar, sparrows, sparring, sparsely, sparred, sparsity