First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
pare
verb \ˈper\
: to carefully cut off the outside or the ends of (something)
: to make (something) smaller : to reduce (something) in size, amount, or number
paredpar·ing
Full Definition of PARE
transitive verb
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
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Origin of PARE
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
Related to PARE
Rhymes with PARE
air, Ayr, bare, bear, Blair, blare, care, chair, chare, dare, Dare, e'er, ere, err, eyre, fair, fare, flair, flare, glair, glare, hair, hare, Herr, heir, lair, mare, ne'er, pair, pear, prayer, rare, rear, scare, share, snare, spare, square, stair, stare, swear, tare, tear, their, there, vair, ware, wear, weir, where, yare
PARE Defined for Kids
pare
verb \ˈper\
paredpar·ing
Definition of PARE for Kids
1
: to cut or shave off the outside or the ends of <pare apples>
2
: to reduce as if by cutting <He had to pare the cost of his trip.>
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