- Home
- Idioms
- mince words
mince words
mince (one's) words
to soften the effect of one's words. Tell me what you think, and don't mince your words. A frank person never minces words.
not mince (your) words
to say what you mean clearly and directly, even if you upset people by doing this The report does not mince words about the incompetence of some government officials. Never a woman to mince her words, she described the former minister as self-centred and arrogant.