spare-rib
Also 8 spear-rib. β. 7 sparrib, 8 sparib, 8–9 spar-rib.
[prob. ad. MLG. ribbespêr (see ribspare) with transposition of the two elements, and subsequent association with spare a.]
A cut of meat, esp. of pork, consisting of part of the ribs somewhat closely trimmed. Also fig.
| α 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden 48 Let's haue halfe a dozen spare ribs of his rethorique, with tart sauce of taunts correspondent. 1709 W. King Cookery ix, Spear-ribs, surloins, chines, and barons. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones (1775) III. 113, I have bespoke a shoulder of mutton..and a spare-rib of pork. 1834 Marryat P. Simple xxvii, There was plenty of pork,..a roast sparerib with the crackling on,..and pig's pettitoes. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm II. 99 The ribs [of the sheep] are here left exposed at the part from which the shoulder has been removed, and constitute what are called the spare-ribs. 1887 Jefferies Amaryllis xii, Pig⁓meat—such as spare-rib, griskin, blade-bone, and that mysterious morsel, the ‘mouse’. |
| β 1607 Brewer Lingua ii. i, Traile no speares, but spar⁓ribs of Porke. 1611 Cotgr., Cotis, the sparribs of a porke. 1706 S. Sewall Diary 24 Dec. (1879) II. 175 Din'd on Salt Fish and a Spar-Rib. 1748 Anson's Voy. iii. v. (ed. 4) 449 There was a great quantity of provisions, particularly salted sparibs of pork. 1867 Waugh Tattlin' Matty i. 11 They'n bin killin' a pig; an' hoo's brought me a bit o' spar-rib. |
b. attrib., as
spare-rib feast, etc.
| 1737 Ochtertyre Ho. Bks. (S.H.S.) 90 The sparrib rost peices. 1867 G. Easton Autobiog. i. (ed. 2) 18 The Spare⁓rib Feast..took place immediately after the fatted ox had been killed. |