To remove fine shavings with a knife, chisel, or other cutting instrument Paring fine shavings by cutting is distinguished from scraping fine shavings: Paring is usually limited to a small part of a surface, scraping is most often used for more accurate smoothing when applied to a large surface area
If you pare something down or back, or if you pare it, you reduce it. The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third The luxury tax won't really do much to pare down the budget deficit Local authorities must pare their budgets
When you pare something, or pare part of it off or away, you cut off its skin or its outer layer. Pare the brown skin from the meat with a very sharp knife He took out a slab of cheese, pared off a slice and ate it hastily. thinly pared lemon rind. see also paring
To remove; to separate; to cut or shave, as the skin, ring, or outside part, from anything; followed by off or away; as; to pare off the ring of fruit; to pare away redundancies
[ 'par, 'per ] (transitive verb.) 14th century. Middle English, from Middle French parer to prepare, trim, from Latin parare to prepare, acquire; akin to Latin parere to give birth to, produce, Lithuanian pereti to hatch.