mince

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

mince, v. t. [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. Minish.].

•  To cut into very small pieces; to chop fine; to hash; as, to mince meat.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.”"  [1913 Webster]

  "Siren, now mince the sin,
  And mollify damnation with a phrase."  [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."  [1913 Webster]
•  To affect; to make a parade of.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

mince, v. i. 

•  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."  [1913 Webster]

  "I 'll . . . turn two mincing steps
  Into a manly stride."  [1913 Webster]
•  To act or talk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in manner.  [1913 Webster]

mince, n. 

 A short, precise step; an affected manner.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

mince, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. cut up or grind (esp. meat) into very small pieces.
2 tr. (usu. with neg.) restrain (one's words etc.) within the bounds of politeness.
3 intr. (usu. as mincing adj.) speak or walk with an affected delicacy.
--n. esp. Brit. minced meat.

Idiom

mince matters (usu. with neg.) use polite expressions etc. mince pie a usu. small round pie containing mincemeat.

Derivative

mincer n. mincingly adv. (in sense 3 of v.).

Etymology

ME f. OF mincier ult. f. L (as MINUTIA)

THESAURUS

mince

allow for, amble, aspic, atomize, barbecue, barge, boiled meat, bouilli, bowl along, break into pieces, break to pieces, break up, bridle, bundle, civet, clump, color, crash, croak, crunch, crush, cut to pieces, demolish, diffuse, diminish, disperse, disrupt, drag, drawl, droop, ease, extenuate, fission, flesh, flounce, foot, footslog, forcemeat, fragment, gait, gallop, game, gloss over, grind, hachis, halt, hash, hippety-hop, hitch, hobble, hop, ignore, jerky, jog, joint, jolt, jugged hare, jump, lessen, limp, lisp, lock step, lumber, lunge, lurch, make allowance for, make mincemeat of, meat, menue viande, mince it, mincing steps, mitigate, pace, paddle, palliate, peg, pemmican, piaffe, piaffer, plod, pot roast, prance, prink, pulverize, quaver, rack, roast, roll, sashay, saunter, sausage meat, scatter, scrapple, scuff, scuffle, scuttle, shake, shamble, shatter, shiver, shuffle, sidle, simper, single-foot, skip, slink, slither, slog, slouch, slowness, slur over, smash, smash up, smirk, soft-pedal, soften, splinter, squash, squish, stagger, stalk, stamp, step, stomp, straddle, straggle, stride, stroll, strolling gait, strut, stump, swagger, swing, talk incoherently, tittup, toddle, totter, traipse, tread, trip, trot, trudge, varnish, velocity, venison, viande, waddle, walk, wamble, whitewash, wiggle, wobble

ROGET THESAURUS

mince

Stammering

VB stammer, stutter, hesitate, falter, hammer, balbutiate, balbucinate, haw, hum and haw, be unable to put two words together, mumble, mutter, maud, mauder, whisper, mince, lisp, jabber, gibber, sputter, splutter, muffle, mump, drawl, mouth, croak, speak thick, speak through the nose, snuffle, clip one's words, murder the language, murder the King's English, murder the Queen's English, mispronounce, missay.

Disjunction

VB be disjoined, come off, fall off, come to pieces, fall to pieces, peel off, get loose, disjoin, disconnect, disengage, disunite, dissociate, dispair, divorce, part, dispart, detach, separate, cut off, rescind, segregate, set apart, keep apart, insulate, isolate, throw out of gear, cut adrift, loose, unloose, undo, unbind, unchain, unlock, unpack, unravel, disentangle, set free, sunder, divide, subdivide, sever, dissever, abscind, circumcise, cut, incide, incise, saw, snip, nib, nip, cleave, rive, rend, slit, split, splinter, chip, crack, snap, break, tear, burst, rend, rend asunder, rend in twain, wrench, rupture, shatter, shiver, cranch, crunch, craunch, chop, cut up, rip up, hack, hew, slash, whittle, haggle, hackle, discind, lacerate, scamble, mangle, gash, hash, slice, cut up, carve, dissect, anatomize, dislimb, take to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, tear to pieces, tear to tatters, tear piecemeal, tear limb from limb, divellicate, skin, disintegrate, dismember, disbranch, disband, disperse, dislocate, disjoint, break up, mince, comminute, apportion, part, part company, separate, leave.

Affectation

VB affect, act a part, put on, give oneself airs, boast, coquet, simper, mince, attitudinize, pose, flirt a fan, overact, overdo.

Slowness

VB move slowly, creep, crawl, lag, slug, drawl, linger, loiter, saunter, plod, trudge, stump along, lumber, trail, drag, dawdle, grovel, worm one's way, steal along, job on, rub on, bundle on, toddle, waddle, wabble, slug, traipse, slouch, shuffle, halt, hobble, limp, caludicate, shamble, flag, falter, trotter, stagger, mince, step short, march in slow time, march in funeral procession, take one's time, hang fire, retard, relax, slacken, check, moderate, rein in, curb, reef, strike sail, shorten sail, take in sail, put on the drag, apply the brake, clip the wings, reduce the speed, slacken speed, slacken one's pace, lose ground.

Vindication

N vindication, justification, warrant, exoneration, exculpation, acquittal, whitewashing, extenuation, palliation, palliative, softening, mitigation, reply, defense, recrimination, apology, gloss, varnish, plea, salvo, excuse, extenuating circumstances, allowance, allowance to be made, locus paenitentiae, apologist, vindicator, justifier, defendant, justifiable charge, true bill, v, justify, warrant, be an excuse for, lend a color, furnish a handle, vindicate, exculpate, disculpate, acquit, clear, set right, exonerate, whitewash, clear the skirts of, extenuate, palliate, excuse, soften, apologize, varnish, slur, gloze, put a gloss, put a good face upon, mince, gloss over, bolster up, help a lame dog over a stile, advocate, defend, plead one's cause, stand up for, stick up for, speak up for, contend for, speak for, bear out, keep in countenance, support, plead, say in defense, plead ignorance, confess and avoid, propugn, put in a good word for, take the will for the deed, make allowance for, give credit for, do justice to, give one his due, give the Devil his due, make good, prove the truth of, prove one's case, be justified by the event, vindicated, vindicating, exculpatory, apologetic, excusable, defensible, pardonable, venial, veniable, specious, plausible, justifiable, honi sot qui mal y pense, good wine needs no bush.

Food

N food, eating, deglutition, gulp, epulation, mastication, manducation, rumination, gluttony, hippophagy, ichthyophagy, (appetite), mouth, jaws, mandible, mazard, gob, chops, drinking, potation, draught, libation, carousal, drunkenness, food, pabulum, aliment, nourishment, nutriment, sustenance, sustentation, sustention, nurture, subsistence, provender, corn, feed, fodder, provision, ration, keep, commons, board, commissariat, prey, forage, pasture, pasturage, fare, cheer, diet, dietary, regimen, belly timber, staff of life, bread, bread and cheese, comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta, grub, grubstake, prog, meat, bread, bread stuffs, cerealia, cereals, viands, cates, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots, festal board, ambrosia, good cheer, good living, beef, bisquit, bun, cornstarch, cookie, cooky, cracker, doughnut, fatling, hardtack, hoecake, hominy, mutton, pilot bread, pork, roti, rusk, ship biscuit, veal, joint, piece de resistance, roast and boiled, remove, entremet, releve, hash, rechauffe, stew, ragout, fricassee, mince, pottage, potage, broth, soup, consomme, puree, spoonmeat, pie, pasty, volauvent, pudding, omelet, pastry, sweets, kickshaws, condiment, appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, main course, entree, alligator pear, apple, apple slump, artichoke, ashcake, griddlecake, pancake, flapjack, atole, avocado, banana, beche de mer, barbecue, beefsteak, beet root, blackberry, blancmange, bloater, bouilli, bouillon, breadfruit, chop suey, chowder, chupatty, clam, compote, damper, fish, frumenty, grapes, hasty pudding, ice cream, lettuce, mango, mangosteen, mince pie, oatmeal, oyster, pineapple, porridge, porterhouse steak, salmis, sauerkraut, sea slug, sturgeon ("Albany beef"), succotash, supawn, trepang, vanilla, waffle, walnut, table, cuisine, bill of fare, menu, table d'hote, ordinary, entree, meal, repast, feed, spread, mess, dish, plate, course, regale, regalement, refreshment, entertainment, refection, collation, picnic, feast, banquet, junket, breakfast, lunch, luncheon, dejeuner, bever, tiffin, dinner, supper, snack, junk food, fast food, whet, bait, dessert, potluck, table d'hote, dejeuner a la fourchette, hearty meal, square meal, substantial meal, full meal, blowout, light refreshment, bara, chotahazri, bara khana, mouthful, bolus, gobbet, morsel, sop, sippet, drink, beverage, liquor, broth, soup, potion, dram, draught, drench, swill, nip, sip, sup, gulp, wine, spirits, liqueur, beer, ale, malt liquor, Sir John Barleycorn, stingo, heavy wet, grog, toddy, flip, purl, punch, negus, cup, bishop, wassail, gin, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriates, bock beer, lager beer, Pilsener beer, schenck beer, Brazil tea, cider, claret, ice water, mate, mint julep, near beer, 2 beer, non- alcoholic beverage, eating house, diner, hippophage, glutton, eatable, edible, esculent, comestible, alimentary, cereal, cibarious, dietetic, culinary, nutritive, nutritious, gastric, succulent, potable, potulent, bibulous, omnivorous, carnivorous, herbivorous, granivorous, graminivorous, phytivorous, ichthyivorous, omophagic, omophagous, pantophagous, phytophagous, xylophagous, across the walnuts and the wine, blessed hour of our dinners!, now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both!, who can cloy the hungry edge of appetite?.