Main Entry: pare

Pronunciation: \ˈper\

Function: transitive verb

Inflected Form(s): pared; par·ing

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French parer to make, prepare, pare, from Latin parare to prepare, acquire; akin to Latin parere to give birth to, produce, Greek porein to give, present, Sanskrit pṛṇāti he gives

Date: 14th century

1 : to trim off an outside, excess, or irregular part of <pare apples> <paring his nails>
2 : to diminish or reduce by or as if by paring <pare expenses> <the novel was pared down to 200 pages>

— par·er noun