GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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1.       
   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. To cut off, or shave off, the superficial substance or extremities of; as, “to pare an apple; to pare a horse's hoof.”
   
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   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”.
   
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   3. Fig.: To diminish the bulk of; to reduce; to lessen.
   
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   The king began to pare a little the privilege of clergy. Bacon.
   
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