spare time
64
1.0
- noun
- /spɛr taɪm/
- In her spare time, she enjoys painting landscapes.
- spend spare time
- read in spare time
- spare time activities
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Watch on YouTubeBut all the rest of my spare time I spent actually doing martial arts.
- But all the rest of my spare time I spent actually doing martial arts.
- I could do that in my spare time on weekends.
- And I got hooked and I read my way through it in just a matter, you know, in my spare time, a matter of a few days.
- I'm aware that Pumps is only two over from center despite spending all of her spare time with Ben Mysalis of the Midas Touch.
- I'm calling because I have a whole heap of spare time on my hands and I guess that's why I'm calling into this podcast.
- Now, unfortunately, not everyone has either the spare time to come here or the priorities are not important enough.
- But if Patrick or Keegan or anyone else with us has spare time, I'll tell them, you know, I got nothing for you for the next two hours.
- You might find me in my spare time stroking concrete.
Examples
-
And what he liked to do best in his spare time, after all, was read magazines.
Fiction book (1998) -
In my spare time, I like to come up my own little concoctions.
-
Seems like you do that a lot in your own spare time, no?
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And if you can any of you spare time, please write me a letter.
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Is this what you do with your spare time, huh?
-
"It's something I like to do in my spare time," she went on.
Fiction book (1999) -
But these young men and women practice in their spare time simply for the love of it.
Fiction book (1990) -
On average, doctors work longer hours and have less spare time than the rest of the population.
Academic text (1996) -
What do you do in your spare time when you're not in classes?
-
He's a comedian in his spare time.
Synonyms
119
1.0
A time when you are not working and can do things you enjoy
90
1.3
Time not spent working when you can relax or do things you enjoy
14
2.0
Free time when you are not working and can relax or do things you like
1
3.4
Free time when someone has nothing to do and can choose what to do
Antonyms
How Much Time
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'time when you are not working or busy' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'spare' (extra/available) with 'time' (a span or period). This adjective+noun composition is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Spare time uses spare to mean 'extra' or 'left over', like a spare key you keep for later, and time that is left after work is free to use. So, spare time means 'time when you are not working or busy'.