mince
to cut or chop into very small pieces.
to soften, moderate, or weaken (one's words), especially for the sake of decorum or courtesy.
to perform or utter with affected elegance.
to subdivide minutely, as land or a topic for study.
to walk or move with short, affectedly dainty steps.
Archaic. to act or speak with affected elegance.
something cut up very small; mincemeat.
Idioms about mince
not mince words / matters, to speak directly and frankly; be blunt or outspoken: He was angry and didn't mince words.
Origin of mince
1Other words from mince
- mincer, noun
- un·minced, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use mince in a sentence
Sauté the shiitake mushrooms in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and minced garlic.
Add diced red onion, minced Serrano pepper, chopped cilantro, and lemon juice.
She had sat and minced over rich dishes day after day, and never felt that exquisite sense of wholesomeness and recuperation.
Joyce's Investments | Fannie E. NewberryI began to vary his diet, too, and gave him what green slugs I could find on the rosebushes, as well as minced earthworms.
Sprinkle some finely minced herbs, mignonette pepper, and salt over them.
Dressed Game and Poultry la Mode | Harriet A. de Salis
Williams and I minced our meat in one of the battery mincing machines, and made a grand dish of it over the cook's fire.
In the Ranks of the C.I.V. | Erskine ChildersBaked hash is just minced meat mixed with gravy, pressed into a mould and baked in the oven till it will turn out.
Living on a Little | Caroline French Benton
British Dictionary definitions for mince
/ (mɪns) /
(tr) to chop, grind, or cut into very small pieces
(tr) to soften or moderate, esp for the sake of convention or politeness: I didn't mince my words
(intr) to walk or speak in an affected dainty manner
mainly British minced meat
informal nonsensical rubbish
Origin of mince
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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