mins. [L. minuo, to diminish; L. minor, smaller; minuo, to diminish; Gr. small, slender; to diminish; L. minutus, minute.]

1. To cut or chop into very small pieces; as, to mince meat.

2. To diminish in speaking; to retrench, cut off or omit a part for the purpose of suppressing the truth; to extenuate in representation.

I know no way to mince it in love, but to say directly, I love you.

Siren, now mince the sin,

And mollify damnation with a phrase--

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.

These--were forced to mince the matter.

3. To speak with affected softness; to clip words; not to utter the full sound.

4. To walk with short or diminished steps.