mince matters

Idioms  

1. Also, mince words. Moderate or restrain one's language to be polite or avoid giving offense. Today these phrases are nearly always put negatively, as in Not to mince matters, I feel he should resign, or Don't mince words—say what you mean. The usage dates from the mid-1500s and transfers cutting something such as meat into small pieces to minimizing the harsh impact of words.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mince matters

This time Billy Webster did not mince matters.

From The Camp Fire Girls' Careers by Margaret Vandercook

The Clerk, in fact, did not mince matters, but frankly characterized as exaggerated and unjust his chief's tirade against Franz.

From The Lonely House by Adolph Streckfuss

Dr. South was not the man to "mince matters," and yet Milton's college life has escaped his sarcasms.

From Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 105, November 1, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various

His grace, out of ear-shot of the duchess, didn't mince matters.

From The Tigress by Anne Warner

On the fourth morning Wulf found his patient sufficiently recovered to be spoken to plainly as to the future, and he did not mince matters.

From Maid of the Mist by John Oxenham