Dictionary

ribspare en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɹɪbspɛɚ/ (General-American)
• /ˈɹɪbspɛə(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Low German ribbesper, from Middle Low German ribbespêr (“spareribs”), from ribbe (“rib”) + sper (“spear; spit”), from Old Saxon ribbi + sper, from Proto-Germanic *ribją + *speru. The second element of the English word was probably influenced by English spare (“lean, wanting flesh”).

Meanings

1. (qualifier:modern uses dialectal, rare) Sparerib.
   • Some twenty years ago—'tis true, / Isaacs, a poor pedestrian Jew, / By wishful inclination prest, / A ribspare stole, already drest; […] 1791, Edward Nairne, “The Jews Partners and the Stolen Pork. A Tale.”, in Poems, Miscellaneous and Humorous, with Explanatory Notes and Observations, Canterbury: Printed by Simmons and Kirkby, →OCLC, page 16:
   • 25th Decʳ. [1673–1674] I sent to Mr. Hely a ribspare and hoggs puddings, for which hee returned mee a boxe of pills and sermons. 1853, Giles Moore, R[obert] W[illis] Blencowe, “Extracts from the Journal and Account Book of the Rev. Giles Moore, Rector of Horsted Keynes, from 1655 to 1679. With Notes by R. W. Blencowe, Esq.”, in Sussex Archaeological Collections, Illustrating the History and Antiquities of the County, 2nd edition, volume I, London: John Russell Smith, 36, Soho Square, →OCLC, page 117:
   • Master Roberts has sent no deare yet. There is sent up a motten (mutton), a barrel of eggs, fower ribspares, two chaynes (chines), a goose, three drest poultrie, four live poultrie, four hogges cheekes and feet and hames (hams) of two hogges mustered, one bottel of meade, three brace of partridges, and a brace of veasants (pheasants) […] 1858, “Extracts from Manuscripts in the Possession of William John Campion, Esq., at Danny; and of Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson, Bart., of Charlton House”, in Robert Willis Blencowe, editor, Sussex Archaeological Collections, Illustrating the History and Antiquities of the County, volume X, London: John Russell Smith, 36, Soho Square, →OCLC, page 3:
   • So, in Kent, to wrong-take a person is to take him wrong, to misunderstand him, and a ribspare is a spare rib. 1874, Samuel Pegge, “An Alphabet of Kenticisms, Containing 600 Words and Phrases in a Great Measure Peculiar to the Natives and Inhabitants of the County of Kent; together with the Derivations of Several of them. To which is Added a Collection of Proverbs and Old Sayings, which are either Used in, or do Relate to the said County.”, in Archæologia Cantiana: Being Transactions of the Kent Archæological Society, volume IX, London: Printed for the [Kent Archaeological] Society, by Mitchell & Hughes, Wardour Street, Oxford Street, →OCLC, page 77:
   • The care of our forefathers for the temporal needs of the ministry, is also illustrated by various votes to be gathered from the Town and Parish Records. […] Sent in since Nov. 3: the day I was married: From my good neighbours in town. […] [January] 8, [1698]. The wife of Saml. Sparhawk, a Ribspare […] 1855, William Newell, The Pastor's Remembrances: A Discourse Delivered Before the First Parish in Cambridge, on Sunday, May 27, 1855, Cambridge, Mass.: John Bartlett, →OCLC, pages 31–33:

Forms

Synonyms

sparerib