mince

[ mins ]

verb (used with object)

, minced, minc·ing.

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.

verb (used without object)

, minced, minc·ing.

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.

mince

/ 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

noun

1. minced meat
2. informal.
   nonsensical rubbish

Other Words From

• mincer noun
• un·minced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mince¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of mince¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

   He was angry and didn't mince words.

Example Sentences

Ashley Dudarenok, founder, AlariceCompanies are using QR codes, mobile apps and third-party services to build consumer confidence in the origin and authenticity of the goods they sell, from luxury handbags to bags of frozen beef mince.

From Ozy

A high caloric dinner ensues, consisting of turkey, stuffing, gravy with giblets, mashed potatoes, squash, turnips, and green bean casserole, complemented by mince and pumpkin pies.

From Washington Blade

The Omega includes accessories to make nut-butter and mince herbs.

From Popular-Science

But Marcouch does not mince his words: “The greatest insult of ISIS may even be toward the Muslims and Islam itself,” he tells us.

From The Daily Beast

Musk was never one to mince words, but has recently unleashed aggressive broadsides on ULA.

From The Daily Beast

Santa snacks on rice pudding in Denmark, sponge cake in Chile, Kulkuls in India, and mince pies in the U.K.

From The Daily Beast

Never one to mince her words, Leakes is as bawdy as they get on reality television.

From The Daily Beast

Christine Lagarde doesn't mince words about economy during her first major policy address as IMF chief.

From The Daily Beast

Place these an inch from each other; egg the paste all round and fold the edge of it over the balls of mince.

From Project Gutenberg

Mince an onion; take about a dozen peppercorns, twenty juniper berries, three bayleaves, and put these into a gill of vinegar.

From Project Gutenberg

Take a cold dressed rabbit, mince all the meat, mix in with it an equal quantity of bread soaked in milk squeezed dry.

From Project Gutenberg

Mince two ounces of lean ham, one truffle, and six mushrooms; stir this mixture into a gill of white sauce.

From Project Gutenberg

When it is half done, mince it with the bacon, season, and add half a clove of garlic and pound all smoothly in a mortar.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• crumble
• grind