late 14c., "act of trimming" something, also "that which is pared off;" verbal noun from pare (v.). Paring-knife is attested from 1590s.

"small, flat, single-cut file for trimming the fingernails," by 1823, from nail (n.) + file (n.2).

"one whose profession is to give manicure treatments, one who makes a business of trimming and polishing the nails, removing blemishes from the hands, etc.," 1884, from manicure (n.) + -ist.

a type of fur once commonly used for lining and trimming in garments, mid-13c., from Old French menu vair "minor fur;" see menu + vair. The exact description of the thing and meaning of the term is now unclear; according to older French sources, it came from some kind of squirrel.

ornamental trimming made by leaving long fringes of thread and knotting the threads together in a geometrical pattern, 1865, from French macramé (19c.), said to be from Turkish maqrama "towel, napkin," from Arabic miqramah "embroidered veil." The thing is older in Europe than the word.

type of frill, a full plaiting of material used as trimming for women's garments at the neck and wrists, 1827, from French ruche "frill," literally "beehive" (13c.), a word of Celtic origin (compare Breton rusken), from Proto-Celtic *rusca "bark." The notion is the resemblance to the plaiting in straw beehives. Related: Ruched; ruching.

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to turn, vacillate, tremble ecstatically." 

It forms all or part of: gimlet; gimp (n.2) "ornamental trimming material;" vibrant; vibrate; vibration; vibrato; vibrissa; waif; waive; waiver; whip; wimple; wipe.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Latin vibrare "set in tremulous motion, move quickly to and fro, quiver, tremble, shake," Lithuanian vyburti "to wag" (the tail), Danish vippe, Dutch wippen "to swing," Old English wipan "to wipe."