go through the mill

verb

To experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.

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Meanings

verbgo through the mill (third-person singular simple present goes through the mill, present participle going through the mill, simple past went through the mill, past participle gone through the mill)

present singular third person goes through the mill · participle present going through the mill · past went through the mill · participle past gone through the mill

  1. idiomaticTo experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.
  2. UKobsoleteslangTo go through bankruptcy.

    All know the high estimation debtors held the Act 1861, by the number who went "through the mill" at the close of 1869.

    1877, The Accountant, volume 3, page 3

Translations

Finnish kärsiä
  • kärsiäto gain experience or maturity through suffering or discipline
French en voir de toutes les couleurs, être mis à rude épreuve
  • en voir de toutes les couleursto gain experience or maturity through suffering or discipline
  • être mis à rude épreuveto gain experience or maturity through suffering or discipline
Polish przechodzić twardą szkołe, przejść twardą szkołe
  • przechodzić twardą szkołeto gain experience or maturity through suffering or discipline
  • przejść twardą szkołeto gain experience or maturity through suffering or discipline
Russian пройти́ ого́нь и во́ду, пройти́ ого́нь, во́ду и ме́дные тру́бы
  • пройти́ ого́нь и во́ду (projtí ogónʹ i vódu)to gain experience or maturity through suffering or discipline
  • пройти́ ого́нь, во́ду и ме́дные тру́бы (projtí ogónʹ, vódu i médnyje trúby)to gain experience or maturity through suffering or discipline
Cite this entry
APA

go through the mill. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20through%20the%20mill

MLA

“go through the mill.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20through%20the%20mill. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “go through the mill,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20through%20the%20mill.

Source: go through the mill on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.