pare Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb decrease gradually or bit by bit
    pare down.
  2. verb cut small bits or pare shavings from
    whittle.
    • whittle a piece of wood
  3. verb strip the skin off
    peel; skin.
    • pare apples
  4. verb remove the edges from and cut down to the desired size
    trim.
    • pare one's fingernails
    • trim the photograph
    • trim lumber

WordNet

Pare transitive verb
Etymology
F. parer to pare, as a horse's hoofs, to dress or curry, as, leather, to clear, as anchors or cables, to parry, ward off, fr. L. parare to prepare. Cf. Empire, Parade, Pardon, Parry, Prepare.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Pared ; present participle & verbal noun Paring
Definitions
  1. To cut off, or shave off, the superficial substance or extremities of; as, to pare an apple; to pare a horse's hoof.
  2. To remove; to separate; to cut or shave, as the skin, ring, or outside part, from anything; -- followed by off or away; as; to pare off the ring of fruit; to pare away redundancies.
  3. Fig.: To diminish the bulk of; to reduce; to lessen.
    The king began to pare a little the privilege of clergy. Bacon.

Webster 1913