pare down

Related to pare down: catch up, stick to, the likes of, pare off

pare down

1. Literally, to shave off small pieces of something to make it smaller. A noun or pronoun can be used between "pare" and "down." You need to pare down your nails—they're like little daggers! If you pair the boards down on either side, they should fit into the space.
2. To reduce or decrease something in small increments. A noun or pronoun can be used between "pare" and "down." We've had to continually pare down out expenses ever since one of our investors pulled out. See if you can pare your report down a bit—15 pages is far too long.
See also: down, pare
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

pare something down (to something)

to cut someone down to something or a smaller size. I will have to pare the budget down to the minimum. I hope we can pare down the budget. After much arguing, we pared it down.
See also: down, pare
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

pare down

v.
1. To reduce the size of something by cutting or shaving off its outer layers; trim something: I pared down the tiles so that they would fit snugly together. The pegs were too big for the hole, so I pared them down with a pocketknife.
2. To reduce the size or amount of something by gradually taking away parts of it: We should pare down the supplies we keep in our storage room until we have only what we absolutely need. The article was too long, and it took me a long time to pare it down.
See also: down, pare
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • ask down
  • bear down
  • clean down
  • chow down
  • chow something down
  • clunk
  • clunk down
  • bolt down
  • brush down
  • button down
References in periodicals archive
This home is designed to appeal to the, 'move over' buyers who are selling larger homes but are not willing to pare down their lifestyle.
Unique new home designs reflect the consumer styles of today's
As part of their efforts to lower the federal deficit while providing $200 billion in tax cuts, they will try to eliminate or pare down agencies that support science and technology -- from the U.S.
Republicans talk tough on science
But Governor Engler claims that Michigan, facing a budget deficit for the third year in a row, has no choice but to pare down. And Michigan is not alone in its decision to reduce state services and rely on the private sector instead.
Going private: states pawn off public services
He had left the French bank in May after banks started to pare down their proprietary trading desks.
Macquarie hires bond trader
Will this artificial skin really pare down swimmers' race times?
Shark lesson
The company plans to pare down its staffing in all of its stores, resulting in the elimination of about 80 jobs.
COLDWATER CREEK PARES DOWN
The craft would map the moon an study its surface for a full year, then continue for a second year to pare down a proposed set of potential surface sites for the outposts.
Going for the whole moon: the Lunar Observer would study what other spacecraft missed
According to The Financial Times, Deutsche Bank could pare down its balance sheet by as much as 20 percent to meet the 3 percent leverage ratio target by 2015.
-Deutsche Bank to work on a leaner balance sheet
Global Banking News-January 21, 2013--BNP Paribas sets aside EUR1bn to pare down businesses(C)2013 ENPublishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk
-BNP Paribas sets aside EUR1bn to pare down businesses