mincing
Chopping very finely
Mincing describes movement or speech that is affectedly dainty or delicate—taking small, precise steps or speaking in an overly refined way: She walked with mincing steps across the stage.
The word often carries dismissive or mocking connotations, suggesting someone is being prissy or effeminate.
To not mince words is to speak bluntly, without softening or hedging.
Falsely grand or important
- simperingSmiling affectedly, falsely coy
- coyAffectedly modest
- foppishVainly preoccupied with dress
- artificialMade, not natural
theatrical · flamboyant · camp · exaggerated · haughty · pompous · stilted · precious
Using mild substitutes
- indirectNot straight or immediate
- coyAffectedly modest
- evasiveAvoiding direct response
- guardedWary and restrained
circumlocutory · mealy-mouthed · careful · restrained · delicate · diplomatic · tactful · hedging
pretentious
Falsely grand or important
artificial · theatrical · flamboyant · camp · exaggerated · haughty · pompous · stilted · precious · prim
euphemistic
Using mild substitutes
guarded · circumlocutory · mealy-mouthed · careful · restrained · delicate · diplomatic · tactful · hedging · understated
tiptoe
Walk on foot-fronts
- pranceStep high and proud
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
- affectationArtificial behavior for effect
sashay · prissy · shuffle · careful · precise · exaggerated · walk · stride · feminine · theatrical
dice
Marked cubes for chance
knife · cleaver · cutting board · vegetables · garlic · onion · parsley · herbs · fine · small
- cookingbaking, chop, boiling, dice, saute
- food prepchopping, slicing, dicing, peeling, grating
- food processingcanning, freezing, drying, packaging, pasteurization
- breaking downsplitting, fragmenting, dividing, breaking up, partitioning
- cuttingslicing, slice, chopping, dice, dicing
- kitchen prepchopping, dicing, slicing, peeling, washing
mincingblunt
Dull or tactlessly direct
forthright · direct · bold · outspoken · plain-spoken
mincingunaffected
Not changed or influenced
natural · unpretentious · genuine · artless · unrefined
- mincing wordsSoftening speech deliberately
- mincing stepsAffectedly small strides