mince

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To cut food, especially meat, into very small pieces.

   Grammar: Takes an object: mince the meat.

   Patterns

   • mince something
   • mince something up
   • mince something finely

   Mince the beef before adding it to the pan.

   She minced the garlic finely.

   The recipe says to mince the onions.

2. 2verbintransitive

   To walk with short, delicate steps, often in an affected way.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by an adverb like 'along' or 'across'.

   Patterns

   • mince along
   • mince across
   • mince down

   He minced along the stage in his tight shoes.

   She minced across the room, trying not to slip.

   They minced down the aisle, smiling at everyone.

3. 3verbtransitive

   To soften or moderate one's words, especially in the phrase 'not mince words'.

   Grammar: Usually used in negative sentences: not mince words.

   Patterns

   • not mince words
   • mince words

   I won't mince words: the project is failing.

   She didn't mince words when she criticized the plan.

   He never minces words, so be prepared for honesty.

Word forms

Common combinations

mince meat

You need to mince meat for the filling.

mince finely

Mince the herbs finely.

mince words

Don't mince words with me.

mince along

She minced along the corridor.

Synonyms and how they differ

chop

Chop means to cut into pieces, but not as small as mince; mince is finer.

grind

Grind means to crush into powder or paste, often using a machine; mince is about cutting into tiny bits.

Word family

mincer noun

A machine for mincing food.

minced adjective

Cut into very small pieces, as in minced meat.

Commonly confused: mince or mint?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “mince”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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