What does the idiom mince words mean?

phrase​informal. DEFINITIONS1. to be careful about what you say in order to be polite or not offend someone. He’s never been the kind of politician to mince words.

Is mince words an idiom?

If you mince your words, you speak vaguely or indirectly. This idiom is often used in the negative form to mean the opposite. He doesn’t mince his words. Meaning that he says what he means clearly and directly, even if this may upset people.

Where did the expression mince words come from?

mincing (adj.) “affectedly dainty, simpering,” 1520s, probably originally in reference to speech, when words were “clipped” to affect elegance; or in reference to walking with short steps; present-participle adjective from. Related: Mincingly.

What words can you make with mince?

Words that can be made with mince

• cine.
• emic.
• mice.
• mien.
• mine.
• nice.

What does parsing words mean?

(Entry 1 of 2) transitive verb. 1a : to divide (a sentence) into grammatical parts and identify the parts and their relations to each other. b : to describe (a word) grammatically by stating the part of speech and explaining the inflection (see inflection sense 2a) and syntactical relationships.

Can you not mince words?

If you say that someone does not mince their words, you mean that they speak in a forceful and direct way, especially when saying something unpleasant to someone. The doctors didn’t mince their words, and predicted the worst.

How do you use the word mince in a sentence?

If you say that someone does not mince their words, you mean that they speak in a forceful and direct way, especially when saying something unpleasant to someone. The doctors didn’t mince their words, and predicted the worst. Never one to mince words, Carlie told her daughter that her looks were fading.

What words can be made from study?

Words that can be made with study

• dust.
• duty.
• stud.

What does phrase not mince words mean?

: to speak in a very direct and honest way without worrying about offending someone He doesn’t mince words when it comes to giving his opinion about the new law.

What does ‘not mincing words’ mean?

Definition of not mince (one’s) words. : to speak in a very direct and honest way without worrying about offending someone He doesn’t mince words when it comes to giving his opinion about the new law.

What does mincingly mean?

Definition of Mincingly. 1. Adverb. In a mincing manner. “She stepped mincingly over the puddles”. Partainyms: Mincing. 1. adv. In a mincing manner; not fully; with affected nicety.

What is the adjective for mincing?

adjective 8 0 The definition of mincing is the actions of someone who acts dainty or refined.