The daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with
stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, . . . mincing
as they go. --Is. iii. 16.
I 'll . . . turn two mincing steps Into a manly
stride. --Shak.
2. To act or talk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in
manner.
2. To suppress or weaken the force of; to extenuate; to
palliate; to tell by degrees, instead of directly and
frankly; to clip, as words or expressions; to utter half
and keep back half of.
I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to
say -- ``I love you.'' --Shak.
Siren, now mince the sin, And mollify damnation with
a phrase. --Dryden.
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.
--Dryden.
3. To affect; to make a parade of. [R.] --Shak.