Mince (mĭns), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Minced (mĭnst); p. pr. & vb. n.Minging (mĭn″sĭng).] [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. √101. 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. Shak.