English

Pronunciation

• IPA: /mɪns/
• SAMPA: /mIns/

Transitive verb

to mince (mincing, minced, minced)

1. To cut into very small pieces; to chop fine.
2. To suppress or weaken the force of; to extenuate; to palliate; to tell by degrees, instead of directly and frankly; to clip, as words or expressions; to utter half and keep back half of.

   I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say — "I love you." — Shakespeare

   Current usage limited to phrases of the form "..... mince words with ..." e.g. "I won't mince words with you"

3. To affect; to make a parade of.

Translations

chop fine

Intransitive verb

to mince (mincing, minced, minced)

1. To walk with short steps; to walk in a prim, affected manner.

   The daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, mincing as they go. --Is. III. 16.

   I'll turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride. — Shakespeare

2. To act or talk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in manner.

Noun

mince (countable and uncountable; plural minces)

1. (uncountable) Finely chopped meat.
2. (countable) A short, precise step.
3. (countable) An affected manner.

Translations

finely chopped meat

short precise step

affected manner

See Also

mincemeat, mince pie

French

Adjective

1. slim