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paring

American  
[pair-ing] / ˈpɛər ɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that pares.

  2. a piece or part pared off.

    apple parings.
paring British  
/ ˈpɛərɪŋ /

noun

  1. (often plural) something pared or cut off

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of paring

1350–1400; Middle English (gerund); pare, -ing 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The company has marked down its Franchise Group investment, and has spent the last year or so paring debt through refinancing, selling off parts of its business and other steps, including closing offices.

From Los Angeles Times

Investors are paring bets on multiple Federal Reserve rate cuts in early 2026, expecting only one cut for the entire year.

From Barron's

Investors are paring bets on multiple Federal Reserve rate cuts in early 2026, expecting only one cut for the entire year.

From Barron's

The irony, according to some observers, is that the American criticism comes even as the EU is already paring regulations.

From The Wall Street Journal

This includes paring its product list and simplifying ingredients.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.