meaning of "spare"

[KLPNO]

Hello everyone
I'd like to ask about the meaning of the verb "spare" in the following context:


BBC NEWS | Europe | Germany foils 'massive' bomb plot

Germany, which has soldiers in Afghanistan but did not send troops to Iraq, has been largely spared terrorist attacks. However, there have been growing concerns that Islamist militants are operating in the country.

Does "spare" mean eliminate here, i.e. that there are no terrorist attacks?

 

[apex2000]

Eliminate - no.
In the sentence 'largely spared' does not mean that there have been no attacks. Instead it indicates that the attacks that have occurred have been a small number, may be one or two.
If the sentence said simply 'spared' then that would be none.

 

[KLPNO]

Eliminate - no.
In the sentence 'largely spared' does not mean that there have been no attacks. Instead it indicates that the attacks that have occurred have been a small number, may be one or two.
If the sentence said simply 'spared' then that would be none.

Thank you very much, apex2000.