parepare /peə $ per/ verb [transitive] 
Pare the rind from the fruit.2to reduce the amount, number, or size of something as much as you can: The firm has not been able to pare costs fast enough to match competitors. The country’s defences have been pared to the bone (=reduced as far as possible).pare something ↔ down phrasal verb to reduce something, especially by making a lot of small reductions: The list was pared down for the final interviews.—pared-down adjective: Even in its pared-down form, the contract was unacceptable.
WORD ORIGINpare
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French parer ‘to prepare, make neat’, from Latin parare ‘to prepare’VERB TABLE
pare
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | pare |
| he, she, it | pares | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | pared |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have pared |
| he, she, it | has pared | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had pared |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will pare |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have pared |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am paring |
| he, she, it | is paring | |
| you, we, they | are paring | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was paring |
| you, we, they | were paring | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been paring |
| he, she, it | has been paring | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been paring |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be paring |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been paring |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Pare one small apple and then dice it.
- But whereas caricature depends on paring down character to exaggerated essentials, acting conveys shades, nuances and inconsistencies.
- In our quest for experiencing the ultimate New York hotel bar, we must pare down the prospects.
- Mr Hall has pared down the bebop style and you are left with the spirit, minus the meaningless displays of technique.
- The banking industry is aggressively paring its ranks, and the current wave of megamergers simply means more layoffs.
- The problem with the Journal is that we are a small society trying to pare costs to the minimum.
- The rest could be pared away.
Longman Language Activatorwhen a company reduces its activities, the amount it spends etc
also scale back American to reduce something, such as the size of an organization or a plan, so that it is still operating but on a smaller level: scale down/back something: · European central banks have scaled down their operations in South Africa.scale something down/back: · The two companies have announced plans to scale back production next year.· Development projects were scaled down, and some proposals for new buildings were put on hold.
to reduce the numbers of something or the time or money spent on something, especially because you can no longer afford to continue at the previous level: cut back on: · Her friends know that she is under stress and have warned her to cut back on her workload.cut back something: · Our budget has been cut back this year.· Farmers have agreed to cut back wheat production.cut something back: · We have had to cut expenditure back in an effort to increase profits.
especially American to reduce the number of people who work for a company, especially in order to save money: · They are downsizing the workforce in a desperate attempt to save the firm.· Advised to rightsize its operation, the company has shrunk to 2,000 employees.
to reduce something by small amounts over a period of time so that the effect is not very serious or noticeable while it is happening: pare down something: · The company has pared down expenditure and hopes to recoup its losses this year.pare something down: · We have managed to pare our costs down to the absolute minimum.
also rationalise British to try to make a company more effective by getting rid of unnecessary workers etc: · We are a small company, and we need to rationalize if we want to compete in this market.· The company has done a lot to rationalize production.
to gradually reduce the work of a company or organization so that it can be closed down completely: wind something down: · The old sickness benefit system is slowly being wound down.wind something down: · I want to return in a few years' time - I've already started to wind the business down.
especially British to deliberately make something such as a company, an industry, or a public service weaker and weaker, by giving it less and less money: run down something: · Opposition leaders are accusing the government of running down the Health Service.run something down: · They buy up rival companies then just run them down.
to reduce something by a small amount that will not harm or change it very much, especially in order to save money: · By trimming costs and improving service the hotel has now started to make a profit again.trim something by 10% etc: · The proposed bill would trim welfare spending by $5 billion.
to reduce the costs of something such as a service or industry by employing fewer people, reducing the number of things you produce or provide etc - used especially in business contexts: · The government is once again attempting to streamline the health care service in order to pay for tax cuts.· The company announced it was to streamline its operations and close down three factories in the UK.
WORD SETSallspice, nounbake, verbbarbecue, verbbaste, verbblanch, verbboil, verbbottle, verbbouillon cube, nounbraise, verbbreadcrumbs, nounbreaded, adjectivebrine, nounbroil, verbbrown, verbbutter, verbcandied, adjectivecaper, nouncaramel, nouncardamom, nouncarve, verbcasserole, nouncasserole, verbcaster sugar, nouncharbroil, verbchervil, nounchestnut, nounchicory, nounchill, verbchilli powder, nounchip, verbcilantro, nouncinnamon, nounclean, verbclove, nouncochineal, nouncoconut, nouncook, verbcook, nouncookbook, nouncookery, nouncookery book, nouncordon bleu, adjectivecore, verbcoriander, nouncream, verbcrisp, verbcube, verbculinary, adjectivecumin, nouncurry powder, noundeep fry, verbdessertspoon, noundevilled, adjectivedice, verbdone, adjectivedress, verbessence, nounfat, nounflambé, adjectiveflan, nounflavouring, nounflour, nounflour, verbfrost, verbfrosting, nounfry, verbglaze, verbglaze, noungourmet, adjectivegourmet, noungrate, verbgrease, noungrease, verbgreaseproof paper, noungrill, verbgrill, noungrind, verbgut, verbhard-boiled, adjectivehaute cuisine, nounhob, nounhull, verbhusk, verbice, verbicebox, nounicing, nounicing sugar, nouningredient, nounjoint, verbknead, verblard, nounlard, verbleaven, nounliquidize, verbmarinade, nounmarinate, verbmarjoram, nounmicrowave, verbmince, verbmincer, nounmint, nounmix, verbmix, nounnouvelle cuisine, nounnutmeg, nounoil, nounolive oil, nounoverdone, adjectiveparboil, verbpare, verbpickle, verbpipe, verbpit, verbpitted, adjectivepkt, pluck, verbplum tomato, nounpoach, verbprecooked, adjectivepreheat, verbprep, verbprove, verbrecipe, nounreduce, verbrice paper, nounrind, nounrise, verbroast, verbroast, nounroast, adjectiverosemary, nounroux, nounsaffron, nounsage, nounsalt, nounsalt, verbsauce, nounsausage meat, nounsauté, verbsavory, nounscalloped, adjectivesear, verbseason, verbseasoning, nounself-raising flour, nounself-rising flour, nounsesame, nounshell, verbshortening, nounshort-order cook, nounshuck, verbsieve, verbsift, verbsifter, nounsimmer, verbsimmer, nounskewer, verbsmoke, verbsoak, verbsoda, nounsodium bicarbonate, nounspice, nounspice, verbspicy, adjectivestarch, nounsteam, verbsteep, verbstew, verbstock, nounstone, verbstrain, verbstuff, verbstuffing, nounsunny-side up, adjectivesweat, verbsweet-and-sour, adjectiveTabasco, nountandoori, adjectivetarragon, nountbsp, teaspoon, nountenderize, verbtenderloin, nountextured vegetable protein, nounthaw, verbthyme, nountimer, nountoast, nountoast, verbtoss, verbtruss, verbtsp, turmeric, noununderdone, adjectivevinaigrette, nounvinegar, nounwhip, verbwhisk, verbyeast, nounzap, verbzest, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The country’s defences have been pared to the bone (=reduced as far as possible).COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
1to cut off the outer layer of something, using a sharp knife: The country’s defences have been pared to the bone (=reduced as far as possible).· After removing the tape, pare away any surplus adhesive with a razor blade.· All this has been pared away in favor of ideas and a spare, urgent prose style.· The rest could be pared away.· Her romantic self-projection is pared away to reveal a character at once complacent, grasping, disingenuous and manipulative ....
· But now, in the main, companies are leaner and fitter; they have pared down their operations in order to survive.· To fit in with the minimalist style of living, the couple had to pare down their possessions drastically.· Superintendent Pam Saylor recommended paring down some expenses Monday, or the cost would have been even higher.· But whereas caricature depends on paring down character to exaggerated essentials, acting conveys shades, nuances and inconsistencies.· By necessity my beauty routine is pared down to the basics of cleansing, toning and moisturising.· Mr Hall has pared down the bebop style and you are left with the spirit, minus the meaningless displays of technique.· It's pared down, sculpted; yet it bursts with life, with a profane energy and speed.
Pare the rind from the fruit.2to reduce the amount, number, or size of something as much as you can: The firm has not been able to pare costs fast enough to match competitors. The country’s defences have been pared to the bone (=reduced as far as possible).pare something ↔ down phrasal verb to reduce something, especially by making a lot of small reductions: The list was pared down for the final interviews.—pared-down adjective: Even in its pared-down form, the contract was unacceptable.