mince\ words

mince\ words
v. phr.
To choose words carefully for the sake of politeness or deception.

I like people who speak frankly and truthfully without mincing words.


Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • mince words — If people mince words, or mince their words, they don t say what they really mean clearly …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • mince 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… …   New idioms dictionary

  • mince words — verb To restrain oneself in a conversation by withholding some comments or using euphemisms. I ask you, William, could I suppose that the Emperor of Austria was a damned traitor a traitor, and nothing more? I don’t mince words a double faced… …   Wiktionary

  • mince words — See doesn t mince words …   English idioms

  • mince words (or one's words) usu. with negative — voice one s disapproval delicately or gently. → mince …   English new terms dictionary

  • mince words — ► mince (one s) words voice one s disapproval delicately or gently. Main Entry: ↑mince …   English terms dictionary

  • mince words — {v. phr.} To choose words carefully for the sake of politeness or deception. * /I like people who speak frankly and truthfully without mincing words./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • mince words — {v. phr.} To choose words carefully for the sake of politeness or deception. * /I like people who speak frankly and truthfully without mincing words./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • mince words — say gently, say something in a soft manner, soften things …   English contemporary dictionary

  • not mince words — (or one s words) speak candidly and directly, esp. when criticizing someone or something a gruff surgeon who does not mince words * * * not mince (your) words (or US mince no words) : to speak in a very direct and honest way without worrying that …   Useful english dictionary

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