PARE

pare. Pare, v.t. to cut off the surface, cut, diminish

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Pare (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pared (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Paring.] [[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.]] 1. 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. 2. To remove; to separate; to cut or shave, as the skin, rind, or outside part, from anything; — followed by off or away; as, to pare off the rind of fruit; to pare away redundancies.
3. 3. Fig.: To diminish the bulk of; to reduce; to lessen.
The king began to pare a little the privilege of clergy. Bacon.