tare

noun

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

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

   “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.”

4. (countable, uncountable)The 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.?”

5. (uncountable)Any of various dipping sauces served with Japanese food, typically based on soy sauce.
6. (alt-of, alternative)Alternative form of tara (“Indian coin”).
7. radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter T.

verb

1. To 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.”

   “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.”

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.”

3. (form-of, obsolete, past)simple past of tear