pare

IPA/peə(r)/
KK[pˈɛr]IPA/per/

pare — verb

  • parepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • pareshe / she / it
  • paredpast simple
  • paring-ing form

1. to use a blade to take off the thin outer surface or edge of something, such as

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to use a blade to take off the thin outer surface or edge of something, such as the peel of an apple, the skin of a potato, or the rough edges of a fingernail

例句

Minho carefully pared the apple before slicing it for the children's snack.

active transitive with fruit object

The chef showed Anjali how to pare a carrot without wasting too much of it.

pattern: show + how to + infinitive

同義詞
  • peel

    focuses on removing the skin of fruit or vegetables, often by hand or in strips

  • trim

    broader — means cutting off irregular parts to make neat, not just the outer layer

  • shave

    implies cutting off very thin pieces, often with a special blade

反義詞
  • coat

    adding a layer instead of removing one

  • cover

    placing something over the surface rather than stripping it

文法句型

pare + noun (object)

用法筆記

Object is typically a fruit, vegetable, or fingernail. 'Pare' is more specific than 'cut' — the emphasis is on removing a thin outer layer with care, not on reshaping or separating into pieces.

常見錯誤

❌She peeled the apple with a knife.
✅She pared the apple with a knife.
💡'Peel' suggests removing the skin by hand or in long strips; 'pare' means a careful, thin cut using a blade.

2. to lower the size, quantity, or expense of something, typically by cutting out w

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to lower the size, quantity, or expense of something, typically by cutting out what is not essential or by making gradual reductions

例句

The company pared its workforce by twenty percent after the drop in sales.

object: workforce (staff reduction)

Beatriz and her husband decided to pare their monthly spending to save for a house.

collocation: pare ... spending

同義詞
  • reduce

    the most general and neutral term for making something smaller or less

  • trim

    suggests a small, careful reduction while keeping the overall shape

  • cut

    more direct and informal; can be abrupt or across-the-board

  • slash

    implies a dramatic, forceful reduction

反義詞
  • increase

    the direct opposite — to make larger in amount or size

  • expand

    implies growing in scope or scale rather than shrinking

文法句型

pare + noun (object)

pare + down + noun

pare + noun + down

用法筆記

Often used with the particle 'down' (pare down) to emphasise the process of reducing something to a smaller, more essential form. Common in business, budgeting, and editorial contexts. Implies selective removal rather than across-the-board cuts.

常見錯誤

❌The store pared the prices by twenty percent.
✅The store pared its operating costs by twenty percent.
💡'Pare' is idiomatic with budgets, expenses, and staffing, but not with prices or sale figures.