pare

Verb

Verb Forms: pared, paring, pares

To cut off the outer layer or covering of something.
decrease gradually or bit by bit
cut small bits or pare shavings from
strip the skin off
- "pare apples"
remove the edges from and cut down to the desired size
- "pare one's fingernails"
To remove the outer covering or skin of something with a cutting device, typically a knife.
To reduce, diminish or trim gradually something as if by cutting off.
To trim the hoof of a horse.
To sharpen a pencil.

Examples

Albert had to pare his options down by disregarding anything beyond his meager budget.
He had to pare down his options, as his rack was full of useless vowels.
Victor pared some apples in preparation to make a tart.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English paren, from Old French parer (“to arrange, prepare, trim”), from Latin parō (“I prepare, arrange; I provide, furnish; I resolve, purpose”) (related to pariō (“I bear, I give birth to; I spawn, produce, beget; I procure, acquire”)), from a Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to bring forward, bring forth”).

Synonyms

pare down, peel, skin, trim, whittle

Scrabble Score: 6

pare: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
pare: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
pare: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 7

pare: valid Words With Friends Word