mince

図書館から借りて読んでいる本が切れた場合のつなぎとして元駐日ギリシャ大使のGeorge Sioris氏が書いたDIPLOMACY Memories & Visitorsを時々読んでいます。　今日覚えたい単語がその中のPROTOCOLについて書いた次ぎの個所にありました。
A Greek variation on this incident is illustrated by the case of Angelos Vlachos, a senior ambassador - in fact the most senior in the hierarchy, serving as secretary-general - who had to submit his resignation a few months before official retirement. The reason was that, according to his memoirs, the then foreign minister had developed a dislike for him, and in order to remove him devised a legalistic pretext, proposing the abrogation of the position of secretary-general! Naturally, a proud and dignified civil servant - with the additional recognition of such a brilliant author as Vlachos - had no other option but to make an equally dignified exit. His bitterniss, though, is evident in his text when he proudly states that "...he did not experience the feeling of being 'kicked out'..." and when he does not mince his words about politics, placing them in a most negative light...
"abrogation" (to abolish by authoritative action) などと言う難しい単語は覚える気になりませんが、最後に出てきた "mince" は挽肉の意味はしっていますが、ここで使われている動詞の意味も知りたいし、覚えたい。　辞書を見ます。
・Collins English Dictionary: to soften or moderate, esp for the sake of convention or politeness ⇒ I didn't mince my words
・Macmillan Dictionary: to be careful about what you say in order to be polite or not offend someone: He’s never been the kind of politician to mince words.
?・Cambridge Idioms Dictionaryでは "not mince (your?) words" の否定形での説明が次ぎの様に記述されています。 to say what you mean clearly and directly, even if you upset people by doing this: The report does not mince words, describing the situation as 'ludicrous'.
この意味での用例は基本的に否定形で後に "words" が続くのですね。
He’s never been the kind of politician to mince words.　でどこかの首長の言動を思い浮かべました。