Spare time meaning in English

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Definition

(I don't have much) spare time: (I don't have much) free time, time off, time to myself idiom

Examples

  • "Susie : Well, I don't really have that much spare time."
  • "Brian : Well, I know that you're an unsuccessful musician in your spare time."
Exercise 1
"there's a couple of spare seats in first-class"

Which of the following sentences use "spare" correctly?

There may be more than one correct choice!
"there's a couple of spare seats in first-class"

Which of the following sentences use "spare" correctly?

There may be more than one correct choice!
This is a correct choice. In this context "to spare" means "to refrain from" or "omit". "Spare me the details" is a common phrase used to avoid hearing additional information that will cause discomfort or embarrassment. In a similar way we might say: We took a taxi to spare my father the journey to the airport.
This is a correct choice. "Spare time" = free (or extra) time, the time that is not taken up by (obligatory) activities such as work. In the dialogue, "a spare seat" is a free or extra seat, a seat that has not yet been allocated to a passenger (because there are more seats than passengers).
This is an incorrect choice. "Spare" is not used to mean "rare", "uncommon" or "smaller in number". This sentence would probably be rewritten: "Wild tigers are becoming more and more SCARCE". SCARCE means not enough or deficient in quantity.
This is an incorrect choice. The idea of spending less money, putting money aside, or keeping money in an account (with the hope of the money increasing in value) is best expressed with the verb TO SAVE. Example: I save 200 pounds per month in a pension scheme for my retirement. The sentence in the question should be re-written: I'm SAVING money to go on holiday.

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