mince

[ mins ]

/ mɪns /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mince ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), minced, minc·ing.

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.

verb (used without object), minced, minc·ing.

to walk or move with short, affectedly dainty steps.

Archaic. to act or speak with affected elegance.

noun

something cut up very small; mincemeat.

Nearby words

Idioms

not mince words/matters, to speak directly and frankly; be blunt or outspoken: He was angry and didn't mince words.

Origin of mince

1350–1400; Middle English mincen < Middle French minc(i)er < Vulgar Latin *minūtiāre to mince; see minute²

Related formsminc·er, nounun·minced, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mince

But Marcouch does not mince his words: “The greatest insult of ISIS may even be toward the Muslims and Islam itself,” he tells us.
ISIS’s Black Flags Are Flying in Europe|Nadette De Visser|July 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Musk was never one to mince words, but has recently unleashed aggressive broadsides on ULA.
SpaceX’s Dragon V2 Will Land Exactly Where It Wants To|Zach Rosenberg|May 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Santa snacks on rice pudding in Denmark, sponge cake in Chile, Kulkuls in India, and mince pies in the U.K.
8 Facts You Never Knew About Christmas|Brandy Zadrozny|December 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Never one to mince her words, Leakes is as bawdy as they get on reality television.
‘Ebony’ Cover With NeNe Leakes Unleashes a Firestorm of Criticism|Karu F. Daniels|November 27, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Not to mince words,” he tells Gibney in the movie, “my view is I brought myself down… I did what I did, and shame on me.
Spitzer's Tale of Redemption|Lloyd Grove|April 25, 2010|DAILY BEAST
It looked absorbed and anxious, nor did she mince matters nor hesitate in confiding them.
Selina|George Madden Martin
“Maybe you were a fool for ever trying that signal and liniment trick at all,” suggested Langridge, who did not mince words.
A Quarter-Back's Pluck|Lester Chadwick
If I were to listen to Romilly I should mince my words, and the result would be wretched.
A Mummer's Tale|Anatole France
Mince it fine, set it over the fire a few minutes, with pepper and salt, a little nutmeg and cream.
The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches,|Mary Eaton
He was never a man to mince words, as I noticed when visiting my aunt.
The Chauffeur and the Chaperon|C. N. Williamson

British Dictionary definitions for mince

mince

/ (mɪns) /

verb

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

(tr) to soften or moderate, esp for the sake of convention or politenessI didn't mince my words

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

noun

mainly British minced meat

informal nonsensical rubbish

Word Origin for mince

C14: from Old French mincier, from Vulgar Latin minūtiāre (unattested), from Late Latin minūtia smallness; see minutiae

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for mince

mince

late 14c., "to chop in little pieces," from Old French mincier "make into small pieces," from Vulgar Latin *minutiare "make small," from Late Latin minutiæ "small bits," from Latin minutus "small" (see minute (adj.)). Of speech, "to clip affectedly in imitation of elegance," 1540s; of words or language, "to restrain in the interest of decorum," 1590s. Meaning "to walk with short or precise steps" is from 1560s. Related: Minced; mincing.

mince

"minced meat," 1850; see mincemeat.

mince

verb (used with object), minced, minc·ing.

verb (used without object), minced, minc·ing.

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of mince

Examples from the Web for mince

mince

verb

noun

Word Origin for mince

mince

mince