Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Mince \Mince\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Minced}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Minging}.] [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. ????.
   See {Minish}.]
   1. To cut into very small pieces; to chop fine; to hash; as,
      to mince meat. --Bacon.

   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.''                --Shak.

            Siren, now mince the sin, And mollify damnation with
            a phrase.                             --Dryden.

            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.

   3. To affect; to make a parade of. [R.] --Shak.