tare

plural tares

1. rareA vetch, or the seed of a vetch (genus Vicia, esp. Vicia sativa).
2. Any of the tufted grasses of the genus Lolium; darnel.
3. figurativelyrareA damaging weed growing in fields of grain.

   But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

   Matthew 13:25 (KJV)

   1 more example

   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.

   1985, John Fowles, A Maggot

plural tares

1. countableuncountableThe empty weight of a container; unladen weight.

   What is the neat weight of 4 hogsheads of tobacco, each weighing 10cwt. 3qrs. 10lb. gross; — tare 100lb. per hdd.?

   1824, Stephen Pike, The Teachers' Assistant: Or a System of Practical Arithmetic, page 97

present singular third person tares · participle present taring · participle past tared · past tared

1. businessTo take into account the weight of the container, wrapping etc. in weighting merchandise.

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

   1886, Records of the History, Laws, Regulations, and Statistics of the Tobacco Trade of the United Kingdom, page 86

   1 more example

   Without question, I think, the exploit of "Jubilee" No. 45737 Atlas [...] was the finest [...], for the train was made up to eleven bogies taring the maximum of 350 tons for an engine of this class, notwithstanding which 7 min. was gained on schedule.

   1959 December, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 610

2. sciencesTo 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.

   Synonyms: zero

1. obsoletepastsimple past of tear

1. uncountableAny of various dipping sauces served with Japanese food, typically based on soy sauce.

plural tares

1. alternativeAlternative form of tara (“Indian coin”).

1. World War II era; joint US/RAF; World War II era; joint US/RAFradiotelephony clear-code word for the letter T.

   Synonyms: Tango