(golf) the standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or for the entire course
"a par-5 hole"
"par for this course is 72"
a state of being essentially equal or equivalent; equally balanced
"on a par with the best"
Abbreviation of paragraph.
"The warehouse manager ordered a new shipment of printer paper because their current stock had dropped below the par level needed for the office's daily printing volume."
Equal value; equality of nominal and actual value; the value expressed on the face or in the words of a certificate of value, as a bond or other commercial paper.
Alternative form of parr (“young salmon”)
Initialism of periodic automatic replenishment: in inventory control, a fixed quantity of an item that must be kept on hand to support daily operations.
In plain English: Par is the standard number of strokes an expert golfer should take to finish a hole.
"The golfer was pleased to finish the round under par."
Usage: In general conversation, par refers to the standard or expected level of performance, such as a golfer's target score or a company's normal output. Do not use it to describe inventory levels unless you are specifically discussing supply chain management terminology.
make a score (on a hole) equal to par
"After struggling through those difficult hazards, the golfer finally managed to sink the putt and made par on the final hole."
To reach the hole in the allotted number of strokes.
"After chipping onto the green, she tapped in for birdie and parred the difficult 17th hole on her second attempt."
In plain English: To par something means to reduce it to a lower level, often by cutting costs or lowering expectations.
"Please par the potatoes for tonight's dinner."
Usage: Use "par" as a verb when describing a golfer who completes a hole in exactly the standard number of strokes allowed for that difficulty. This usage is specific to golf and should not be applied to other activities or general contexts.
Abbreviation of parallel.
"The contractor ordered a batch of par decking for the patio since it would lay more smoothly than the rough-sawn alternatives."
Initialism of planed all round: of timber, planed on all sides as opposed to rough sawn.
In plain English: Par means something that is normal, average, or expected to happen.
"He managed to finish his golf game in just par, which was much better than he expected."
Usage: In everyday language, do not use "par" as an adjective to mean planed or smooth; it is exclusively a noun referring to a standard score in golf or the nominal value of a financial instrument. The correct term for timber that has been planed on all sides is "planed" or "sanded," while "par" should only describe a benchmark against which something is measured.
By; with.
"The invitation was addressed to me par la poste, but it never arrived."
A village and beach near St Austell in Cornwall, England (OS grid ref SX0753).
"We drove down to Par last weekend to enjoy the sandy beaches right outside the town."
The word par was borrowed into English from the French preposition meaning "through" or "by." It shares a common origin with the Latin word per, which also means "through," but entered English via French rather than directly from Latin.