Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Something, such as a skin or peel, that has been pared off.
  • noun The act of removing the outer covering or skin.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act of trimming something, or of reducing it in size or thickness by cutting or shaving off small portions from the surface or extremity.
  • noun That which is pared off; a thin piece cut, clipped, or shaved off; hence, a scrap: as, cheese-parings; the parings of grass-lands.
  • noun The rind or outermost crust.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of cutting off the surface or extremites of anything.
  • noun That which is pared off.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of pare.
  • noun A fragment or shaving that has been pared.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a thin fragment or slice (especially of wood) that has been shaved from something
  • noun (usually plural) a part of a fruit or vegetable that is pared or cut off; especially the skin or peel

Etymologies

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Examples

  • They eventually will begin paring down their list to a second group of finalists and conduct a second round of interviews, Jeff Wilpon, the franchise's chief operating officer, said in a conference call.

    Giants' Punter Dodge May Have to Kick Off 2010

  • On the contrary, the problem I had was in paring down the incredible wealth of stories I found about gun-toting women on both sides of the law.

    Q&A, Laura Browder, Author 2008

  • If I can't get the Menaje, I guess we will just need to be more ruthless in paring down stuff, and maybe be subject to customs duty on what we can't part with.

    Validity of FM3 for travel? 2005

  • If I can't get the Menaje, I guess we will just need to be more ruthless in paring down stuff, and maybe be subject to customs duty on what we can't part with.

    Validity of FM3 for travel? 2005

  • If I can't get the Menaje, I guess we will just need to be more ruthless in paring down stuff, and maybe be subject to customs duty on what we can't part with.

    Validity of FM3 for travel? 2005

  • If I can't get the Menaje, I guess we will just need to be more ruthless in paring down stuff, and maybe be subject to customs duty on what we can't part with.

    Validity of FM3 for travel? 2005

  • If I can't get the Menaje, I guess we will just need to be more ruthless in paring down stuff, and maybe be subject to customs duty on what we can't part with.

    Validity of FM3 for travel? 2005

  • If I can't get the Menaje, I guess we will just need to be more ruthless in paring down stuff, and maybe be subject to customs duty on what we can't part with.

    Validity of FM3 for travel? 2005

  • She peeled it carefully and slowly; there never was a peach so long in paring; for it was hardly more than finished when they rose from table.

    Melbourne House 1907

  • The truth is that for Unionists the idea of paring the claws of the Irish Party offers a tempting prospect.

    Ireland and the Home Rule Movement Michael F. J. McDonnell

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