mince
/mɪns/ (bre, ipa) · /mɪns/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmin(t)s/ (ame, mw)
mince — noun
1. meat, especially beef, broken into tiny bits for cooking, often sold raw for dis
meat, especially beef, broken into tiny bits for cooking, often sold raw for dishes such as meatballs or pasta sauce.
Felipe browned the mince with onions for a quick pasta sauce.
brown the mince before making sauce
The butcher weighed half a kilo of fresh mince for Nadia.
Rania mixed the mince with garlic before shaping the meatballs.
We froze the mince as soon as we got home from the market.
- ground beef
North American term, usually only for beef
- ground meat
broader term that can include pork or other meats
文法句型
cook mince with onions
beef/lamb mince
用法筆記
Mainly British in this sense. North American English usually says 'ground beef' or 'ground meat' instead.
mince — verb
- mincepresent simple I / you / we / they
- minceshe / she / it
- mincedpast simple
- mincing-ing form
1. to move in short, neat steps in an overly careful or showy way.
to move in short, neat steps in an overly careful or showy way.
Rania minced across the stage in borrowed high heels.
mince across + place in high heels
The little dog minced through the rain to keep its paws dry.
Felipe minced down the hallway, trying not to crease his suit.
Christopher minced about the room to make the audience laugh.
文法句型
mince across/down/through + place
mince about
用法筆記
Usually suggests that the walk looks affected rather than simply careful. Distinguish from 'tiptoe', which focuses on being quiet or gentle.
2. to make meat or other food very fine by cutting it repeatedly or by using a grin
to make meat or other food very fine by cutting it repeatedly or by using a grinder.
Yuki minced the beef before adding onions to the pan.
mince + meat before cooking
Please mince the garlic finely for the soup.
mince + garlic finely
The cook minced fresh herbs and scattered them over the fish.
Gita used a small grinder to mince the pork for dumplings.
Nadia minced the carrots so the sauce would cook faster.
文法句型
mince + meat/garlic/herbs
mince + ingredient + for + dish
用法筆記
Common with meat, garlic, onions, and herbs. In recipes, 'mince' usually means smaller pieces than 'chop'.
常見錯誤
3. to make what you say sound less harsh by choosing gentler words; in 'not mince w
to make what you say sound less harsh by choosing gentler words; in 'not mince words', it means to speak very directly.
Chiara did not mince her words when the plan started failing.
not mince words = speak directly
The judge minced no words in his criticism of the company.
mince no words in criticism
Zuri tried to mince her words before telling Amir the truth.
Caleb minced his words to avoid upsetting the audience.
文法句型
not mince words
mince your words
用法筆記
Most common in the fixed patterns 'not mince words' and 'mince no words'. The positive form exists but sounds more formal and often implies deliberate politeness.