mince

American  

[mins] / mɪns /

verb (used with object)

minced, mincing

1. to cut or chop into very small pieces.

2. to soften, moderate, or weaken (one's words), especially for the sake of decorum or courtesy.

3. to perform or utter with affected elegance.

4. to subdivide minutely, as land or a topic for study.

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verb (used without object)

minced, mincing

1. to walk or move with short, affectedly dainty steps.

2. Archaic. to act or speak with affected elegance.

noun

1. something cut up very small; mincemeat.

idioms

1. not mince words / matters, to speak directly and frankly; be blunt or outspoken.

   He was angry and didn't mince words.

mince British  

/ mɪns /

verb

1. (tr) to chop, grind, or cut into very small pieces

2. (tr) to soften or moderate, esp for the sake of convention or politeness

   I didn't mince my words

3. (intr) to walk or speak in an affected dainty manner

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noun

1. minced meat

2. informal nonsensical rubbish

Other Word Forms

• mincer noun
• unminced adjective

Etymology

Origin of mince

1350–1400; Middle English mincen < Middle French minc ( i ) er < Vulgar Latin *minūtiāre to mince; minute ²

Example Sentences

"We bring in a few mince pies, the site offices might have a bit of tinsel around," he says.

From BBC

Appointed by George W. Bush, Judge Leon is no activist liberal, but he doesn’t mince words when he sees an abuse of the law.

From The Wall Street Journal

Harriet didn't mince her words when she won the opportunity to speak directly to the traitors, who were hidden away in the church confessional.

From BBC

It’s not cruel, but it’s not mincing words, another aspect that someone deeply embedded in Nashville might have trouble doing.

From Salon

At the news conference in the Danish capital Copenhagen, Frederiksen did not mince her words as she condemned the "completely unacceptable pressure from our closest ally".

From BBC

Related Words

• crumble
• grind