Noun

1. A vetch, or the seed of a vetch.
2. A damaging weed growing in fields of grain (with reference to Matthew 13:25: "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." The King James Version (Authorized))

   • 1985, I saw as I thought an uncle and guardian who has led a sober, industrious and Christian life and finds himself obliged to look on the tares of folly in his own close kin. — John Fowles, A Maggot

Etymology 2

Verb

1. To take into account the weight of the container, wrapping etc. in weighting merchandise.
   • 1886, Records of the History, Laws, Regulations, and Statistics of the Tobacco Trade of the United Kingdom, p. 86,

     he is to tare such number of bales as may be deemed necessary to settle the net weight for duty.

2. To set a zero value on an instrument (usually a balance) that discounts the starting point.
   • 2003, Dany Spencer Adams, Lab Math, CSHL Press, p. 63,

     Spectrometers, for example, must be zeroed before each reading; balances must be tared before each weighing.

Usage notes

• In measuring instruments other than balances, this process is usually called .

Etymology

Noun

1. deficiency
2. defect, vice, flaw
3. tare

Adjective

1. hard, tough, solid
2. strong
3. loud, strong
4. cool