Dictionary-Definition.com :: Mince definition

Definition of 'mince'

noun

Food chopped into small bits; "a mince of mushrooms"

verb

Make less severe or harsh; "He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears" [syn: mince, soften, moderate]

verb

Walk daintily; "She minced down the street"

verb

Cut into small pieces; "mince the garlic"

From: GCIDE

Mince \Mince\, v. i.
1. To walk with short steps; to walk in a prim, affected manner. [1913 Webster]
The daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, . . . mincing as they go. --Is. iii. 16. [1913 Webster]
I 'll . . . turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
2. To act or talk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in manner. [1913 Webster]

From: GCIDE

Mince \Mince\ (m[i^]ns), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minced (m[i^]nst); p. pr. & vb. n. Minging (m[i^]n"s[i^]ng).] [AS. minsian to grow less, dwindle, fr. min small; akin to G. minder less, Goth. minniza less, mins less, adv., L. minor, adj. (cf. Minor); or more likely fr. F. mincer to mince, prob. from (assumed) LL. minutiare. [root]101. See Minish.] [1913 Webster]
1. To cut into very small pieces; to chop fine; to hash; as, to mince meat. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
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; as, he doesn't mince words. [1913 Webster]
I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say -- "I love you." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Siren, now mince the sin, And mollify damnation with a phrase. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
If, to mince his meaning, I had either omitted some part of what he said, or taken from the strength of his expression, I certainly had wronged him. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
3. To affect; to make a parade of. [R.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

From: GCIDE