Make Your Point > Archived Issues > MINCE

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connect today's word to others: The word mincing often describes a g___: a person's way of walking, or a specific way in which something is moving along. Could you recall that word? And, in another sense, mincing is often something you do to food; however, it can also be a figurative action. We can say the same for our word fletcherize. What does it mean to fletcherize food? And how do you figuratively fletcherize something? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "MINCE" We got this word from the Latin minutus, meaning "small." (That's why it looks like other words related to smallness, like "minute," "minutia," and "diminish.") To mince food, such as onion, is to chop it up into tiny pieces. To mince your steps is to take tiny steps or actions that are too delicate. And, originally, to mince words meant to try to sound elegant by speaking in tiny, clipped words. But the meaning has changed, and today, to mince words, matters, or your voice is to talk in a way that's too vague, gentle, or delicate, often to say how you disapprove of something. Pronunciation: MINTS Part of speech: Usually a verb, and usually the transitive kind: "he didn't mince words," "they minced matters." Other forms worth knowing: Minced, mincing, mincingly, mincer(s). And "mincy" is slang for "overly dainty or delicate." How to use it: Unless we're talking about mincing onions, garlic, scallops, chicken, etc., this word has a negative tone: mincing things is a behavior that's often fake, annoying, and/or unhelpful. And, to say that people are mincing often suggests that they're acting girly when they should be acting manly.  You can talk about people mincing words, but more often we talk about people not mincing words--that is, talking in a frank, open, direct way, especially when they're criticizing or disapproving of something. You can also talk about people mincing their steps, literally or figuratively. (How do people mince steps figuratively? They act in a way that's too careful and too delicate.) You can use "mince" intransitively and say that people are mincing, or mincing around the room, mincing across the field, mincing down the hall, mincing their way through a situation, etc. Or, talk about mincing steps, walks, smiles, speeches, manners, attitudes, and so on. Basically, you can call anything mincing if it seems overly dainty, delicate, refined in a fake or unnatural way, or girly in an annoying way. examples: As if she hadn't just knocked over a pile of papers, Chloe minced her way across the desk, purring. "Don't mince your steps because you're hiding from the specter of liability."    — Editorial staff, Traverse City Record Eagle, 28 July 2018 study it now: Look away from the screen to define "mince" without saying "sugarcoat" or "shorten in a fake, dainty way." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "With a mincing smile, (someone) _____." Example: "With a mincing smile, he offered to ask his manager for permission to come down on the price." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Complete the Clichés! In each issue this month, I'll present a general theme and a handful of common expressions that apply to it--but only the first few words of each expression. See if you can complete them!  To keep things interesting, I've picked a mixture of phrases both new and familiar to me. I hope some will pique your curiosity and inspire you to Google them for their meanings and backstories. (Please try that first, and if your search turns up empty, email me for help.) If you're playing this game with the kids in your family or your class, you might enjoy talking together about what the phrases mean. Enjoy! In the previous issue, the theme was "why they're popular:" A. He's honest as... B. He has the patience... C. She's the salt... D. She's a utility... Answers: A. He’s honest as the day is long. B. He has the patience of Job (or, the patience of a saint). C. She’s the salt of the earth. D. She’s a utility infielder. Try these today. The theme is "why they're unpopular:" A. Butter wouldn't... B. I didn't like the color... C. She's fishing in... D. He has a hollow... E. She's independent as a... F. He's a Monday-morning... G. She's a wet... review today's word: 1. In one sense, a close opposite of MINCE is A. BROOK. B. GALUMPH. C. IMPORTUNE. 2. Because _____, this is no time to mince words. A. this child is highly sensitive B. the jury must hear every relevant fact C. any omitted step in the recipe will ruin the dish Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B