Mince - MINCE, v.t. mins. [L. minuo, to diminish; L. minor, smaller; minuo, to diminish; Gr. small, slender; to diminish; L. minutus, minute.
1. To cut or chop into very small pieces; as, to mince meat.
2. To diminish in speaking; to retrench, cut off or omit a part for the purpose of suppressing the truth; to extenuate in representation.
I know no way to mince it in love, but to say directly, I love you.
Siren, now mince the sin,
And mollify damnation with a phrase--
If, to mince his meaning, I had either omitted some part of what he said, or taken from the strength of his expression, I certainly had wronged him.
These--were forced to mince the matter.
3. To speak with affected softness; to clip words; not to utter the full sound.
4. To walk with short or diminished steps.
MINCE, v.i. To walk with short steps; to walk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in manner.
I'll turn two mincing steps
Into a manly stride.
Because the daughters of Zion are haughty--
walking and mincing as they go. Isa 3.
1. To speak softly, or with affected nicety.
Minded - MINDED, a. Disposed; inclined.
If men were minded to live virtuously.
Joseph was minded to put her away privily. Mat 1.
Minded is much used in composition; as high-minded; low-minded; feeble-minded; sober-minded; double-minded.
Minister - MIN'ISTER, n. [L.]
1. Properly, a chief servant; hence, an agent appointed to transact or manage business under the authority of another; in which sense, it is a word of very extensive application.
Moses rose up and his minister Joshua. Exo 24.
2. One to whom a king or prince entrusts the direction of affairs of state; as minister of state; the prime minister. In modern governments, the secretaries or heads of the several departments or branches of government are the ministers of the chief magistrate.
3. A magistrate; an executive officer.
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. Rom 13.
4. A delegate; an embassador; the representative of a sovereign at a foreign court; usually such as is resident at a foreign court, but not restricted to such.
5. One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church, duly authorized or licensed to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. Eph 3.
6. Christ is called a minister of the sanctuary. Heb 8.
7. An angel; a messenger of God.
Who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire. Psa 104.
MIN'ISTER, v.t. [L. ministro.] To give; to afford; to supply.
He that ministereth seed to the sower--2 Cor 9.
That it may minister grace to the hearers. Eph 4.
MIN'ISTER, v.i. To attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular.
I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. Exo 29.
1. To afford supplies; to give things needful; to supply the means of relief; to relieve.
When saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25.
2. To give medicines.
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased?
In this sense, we commonly use administer.
Mollify - MOL'LIFY, v.t. [L. mollio.] To soften; to make soft or tender. Isa 1.
1. To assuage, as pain or irritation.
2. To appease; to pacify; to calm or quiet.
3. To qualify; to reduce in harshness or asperity.
Most - MOST, a. superl. of more.
1. Consisting of the greatest number. That scheme of life is to be preferred, which presents a prospect of the most advantages with the fewest inconveniences.
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness. Prov 20.
2. consisting of the greatest quantity; greatest; as the most part of the land or the mountain.
MOST, adv. In the greatest or highest degree. Pursue that course of life which will most tend to produce private happiness and public usefulness. Contemplations on the works of God expand the mind and tend to produce most sublime views of his power and wisdom.
As most is used to express the superlative degree, it is used before any adjective; as most vile, most wicked, most illustrious.
MOST, n. [used as a substitute for a noun, when the noun is omitted or understood.]
1. The greatest number or part.
Then he began to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done. Mat 11.
[This use seems to have resulted form the omission of part, or some similar word,and most in this case signifies greatest, that is, the greatest part.]
2. The most, the greatest value, amount or advantage, or the utmost in extent, degree or effect.
A covetous man makes the most of what he has, and can get.
At the most, the greatest degree or quantity; the utmost extent. Stock brings six per cent. interest at the most, often less.