[mince] vb minced ; minc.ing [ME, fr. MF mincer, fr. (assumed) VL minutiare, fr. L minutia smallness--more at minutia] vt (14c) 1 a: to cut or chop into very small pieces b: to subdivide minutely; esp: to damage by cutting up
2: to utter or pronounce with affectation 3 a archaic: minimize b: to restrain (words) within the bounds of decorum ~ vi: to walk with short steps in a prim affected manner -- minc.er n
[2]mince n (ca. 1850) 1: small chopped bits (as of food); specif: mincemeat
2. Brit: hamburger 1a