From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Sportsparring partnerˈsparring ˌpartner noun [countable]1DSsomeone you practiseboxing with2ARGUEsomeone you regularly have friendly arguments withExamples from the Corpussparring partner• Doubt acts as a sparring partner both to truth and error.• The most telling exchanges came between Sir Lewis and his long-timesparring partner, shareholder James Middlemass.• Hollins will be keeping his eye on Councilman Keith Beier, his ideologicalnemesis and verbalsparring partner on the council dais.
