Pare \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.

2. 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.

3. Fig.: To diminish the bulk of; to reduce; to lessen.

The king began to pare a little the privilege of clergy. --Bacon.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Paring \Par"ing\, n. [From Pare, v. t.]

1. The act of cutting off the surface or extremites of anything.

2. That which is pared off. --Pope.

Pare off the surface of the earth, and with the parings raise your hills. --Mortimer.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)