Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Mince \Mince\, v. i.
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. --Shak.
2. To act or talk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in
manner.
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.
Mince \Mince\, n.
A short, precise step; an affected manner.
Source : WordNet®
mince
n : food chopped into small bits; "a mince of mushrooms"
mince
v 1: make less severe or harsh; "He moderated his tone when the
students burst out in tears" [syn: {soften}, {moderate}]
2: walk daintily; "She minced down the street"
3: cut into small pieces; "mince the garlic"