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mince |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Mince \Mince\, n. A short, precise step; an affected manner. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: mince n : food chopped into small bits: "a mince of mushrooms" v 1: make less severe or harsh; "He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears" [syn: {soften}, {moderate}] 2: walk daintily 3: cut into small pieces; "mince the garlic"
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