Decrease gradually or bit by bit.

synonym: pare.

Roget 201: be short etc. adj.; render short etc. adj.; shorten, curtail, abridge, abbreviate, take in, reduce; compress etc. (contract) 195; epitomize etc. 596.    retrench, cut short, obtruncate^†; scrimp, cut, chop up, hack, hew; cut down, pare down; clip, dock, lop, prune, shear, shave, mow, reap, crop; snub; truncate, pollard, stunt, nip, check the growth of; foreshorten (in drawing). ... show more