v. & n.
v. 1 tr. cut up or grind (esp. meat) into very small pieces. 2 tr. (usu. with neg.) restrain (one's words etc.) within the bounds of politeness. 3 intr. (usu. as mincing adj.) speak or walk with an affected delicacy.
n. esp. Brit. minced meat. mince matters (usu. with neg.) use polite expressions etc. mince pie a usu. small round pie containing mincemeat. mincer n. mincingly adv. (in sense 3 of v.).
[ ME f. OF mincier ult. f. L (as MINUTIA) ]