Mill

/mɪl/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A building equipped with machinery for grinding grain into flour.
The old mill by the river still produces flour using traditional methods.
A factory or a place where a specific type of material is processed.
The textile mill employs hundreds of workers to produce fabrics.
A machine used for grinding or crushing.
They used a coffee mill to grind the beans into a fine powder.
A device or machine that performs a specific operation through repeated action.
The lumber mill cuts trees into planks and boards.
verb
To grind or crush something in a mill.
They mill the wheat to create flour for baking.
To produce in a mill; to process material using machinery.
The company mills aluminum to create various products.
To move around in a confused mass.
The crowd began to mill around the entrance of the building.

Etymology

Middle English milne, from Old English mylen, from Latin molina.

Common Phrases and Expressions

to mill about
to move around aimlessly or in a confused way.
millstone around one's neck
a burden or source of worry.

Related Words

gristmill
A mill for grinding grain, especially for flour.
sawmill
A mill for cutting lumber.
paper mill
A factory for making paper.
oil mill
A place where oil is extracted from seeds or nuts.

Slang Meanings

A place associated with excessive or repetitive work.
I'm tired of this grind; it's like being back at the mill.
To engage in endless tasks with little reward.
He's just milled himself away at that job with no future.