mill

plural mills · alternative obsolete miln

1. A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc. (Some are small and simple, and some are large and complex.)

   Pepper has a stronger flavor when it is ground straight from a mill.

2. The building housing such a grinding apparatus; also, any similar building that houses a similarly material activity (such as weaving, fulling, dying, etc.); the place of business comprising such a building and its outbuildings and grounds.

   My great-grandfather worked in a mill. He filled the flour sacks and then carried and loaded them.

   4 more examples

   […] for the Townsfolk will go to thy mill, and grind their corn […] at their own good pleasure; nor can I hinder them, since they are free men.

   1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, chapter XV, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book II (The Ancient Monk), page 112

   On Sept. 9 a boiler exploded in Hanke's flouring mill, […]

   1880 January 1, The Locomotive, volume 1, number 1, Hartford, Conn.: The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection And Insurance Company, page 9

   Under the reorganization the branch mill was designated as Dah Sun Mill No. 2. In subsequent years Chang Chien had ambitious plans for further expansion. Eventually four Dah Sun mills were established, two in Nan-t'ung and one each in Ch'ung-ming and Hai-men, although plans for the founding of mills in Ju-kao, Tung-t'ai, Yen-ch'eng, and elsewhere in Kiangsu were never realized.

   1965, Samuel C. Chu, Reformer in Mondern China Chang Chien, 1853-1926, Columbia University Press, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 31

   That first batch of yarn set the pattern for Knudsen Knits: Farah seeks out local wool growers, selects fleeces, and works with small local mills to produce yarn.

   2026, Sandi Rosner, “Knudsen Knits: Sourcing & Milling Local Heritage-Breed Wool”, in Spin Off, volume L, number 1, page 39

3. A machine used for expelling the juice, sap, etc., from vegetable tissues by pressure, or by pressure in combination with a grinding, or cutting process; any similar apparatus that otherwise processes.

   a cider mill; a cane mill

4. A machine for grinding and polishing.

   a lapidary mill

5. A milling machine for machining of solid metal, wood, or plastic.

   Several machinists were busy operating the lathes, mills, and drill presses on the shop floor.

6. A milling cutter used on such a machine.

   After the drilling and tapping operations, we come in with a mill and do some contouring.

7. A manufacturing plant for paper, steel, textiles, flooring, and some other kinds of materials.

   Once the billet gets through the 56-inch mill, it is ready for reheating.

8. The building complex housing such a plant; the place of business comprising such buildings and their grounds.

   My grandfather worked in a mill. He operated machinery, did maintenance, and drove forklifts.

   Synonyms: factory, works

9. derogatoryfigurativelyusuallyAn establishment that handles a certain type of situation or procedure routinely, or produces large quantities of an item without much regard to quality. (The notion of churning out massive amounts indiscriminately underlies the figurative metaphor.)

   Getting the book through the editorial mill could take months.

   1 more example

   Those shysters selling the purebreds are running quite a mill over there, eh?

10. derogatoryfigurativelyAn institution or pseudo-institutional business awarding credentials (such as diplomas, degrees, certificates, or certifications) of either dubious value or fraudulent nature; one selling essays or other documents for the buyers (usually students) to fraudulently pass off as their own.

    Those shysters cranking out the "IT training certificates" are running quite a mill over there, eh?

11. informalAn engine.

    Under the hood is a mill that you and I can't afford — a nitrous-blown hemi with custom heads.

12. archaicinformalA boxing match or fistfight.

    They were betting big on a great mill, but they didn't realize that the fix was in.

    3 more examples

    […] he is relieved from present responsibility to the Chicken, by the absence of that game head of poultry in the country, training (at Toots's cost) for his great mill with the Larkey Boy.

    1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC

    The mill lasted four rounds, when giddy little Ettie was declared the victress.

    1902 October 1, The Sydney Sportsman, page 5, column 6

    The name of the "white hope" against whom Billy was to go was sufficient to draw a fair house, and there were some there who had seen Billy in other fights and looked for a good mill.

    1914 October – 1916 July, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Mucker, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg & Co., published 31 October 1921, →OCLC

13. die sinkingA hardened steel roller with a design in relief, used for imprinting a reversed copy of the design in a softer metal, such as copper.
14. businessAn excavation in rock, transverse to the workings, from which material for filling is obtained.

    They pulled me off the main crew and had me digging in the mill.

15. businessA passage underground through which ore is shot.

    Near-synonym: country

    1 more example

    The geologists were responsible for keeping the work within the mill.

    Synonyms: country

16. The raised or ridged edge or surface made in milling anything, such as a coin or screw.

    Synonyms: milling

17. historicalA prison treadmill.

    They kept us in line by threatening to put us on the mill twice as long if we complained.

    1 more example

    Next morning they put me on the treadmill along with the others: At first, not knowing how to dance it, I cut all my shin with the steps; they did not flog me then — […] They keep on putting her on the mill for a week, and flog her every time […]

    1837, James Williams, A Narrative of Events Since the First of August, 1834, page 9

18. USWorld War IslangWorld War IIgovernmentA military prison, either guardhouse or post prison.

    He spent some time in the mill after that escapade.

19. World War IslangWorld War IIgovernmentA delousing station: a cootie mill.
20. CB radio slangA typewriter used to transcribe messages received.

    You can read it all right, but the pencil seems to be getting a little sluggish — better make a grab for a "mill."

    1986, Ham Radio Magazine, volume 19, page 66

    1 more example

    In other words, get a mill in your operating position by hook or crook and use it regularly. At the N.C.R. Radio Schools touch typing is taught at the same time code proficiency is advanced.

    1941, QST, volume 25, numbers 2–6, page 90

present singular third person mills · participle present milling · participle past milled · past milled

1. transitiveTo grind or otherwise process in a mill or other machine.

   to mill flour

2. transitiveTo shape, polish, dress or finish using a machine.
3. transitiveTo engrave one or more grooves or a pattern around the edge of (a cylindrical object such as a coin).
4. intransitiveusuallyaboutTo move about in an aimless fashion.

   I didn't have much to do, so I just milled around the town looking at the shops.

   2 more examples

   The deer and the pig and the nilghai were milling round and round in a circle of eight or ten miles radius, while the Eaters of Flesh skirmished round its edge.

   1895 November, Rudyard Kipling, The Second Jungle Book, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC

   As guests milled around them, he [Zuckerberg] described his goal of turning every person in the country with an internet connection into a Facebook user.

   2021 July 8, Sheera Frenkel, Cecilia Kang, “Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg’s Partnership Did Not Survive Trump”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   Synonyms: roam, wander

5. transitiveTo cause to mill, or circle around.

   to mill cattle

6. biologyTo swim underwater.
7. biologyTo swim suddenly in a new direction, or to circle around.

   ‘They’ve lanced him,’ George said with obvious relief. ‘He’s milling.’ ‘He’s what?’ the sailor asked. ‘Milling. Going round in a circle.’

   1961, Tom Mead, Killers of Eden, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 9

8. slangtransitiveTo beat; to pound.

   […]he had “milled” a policeman

   1861 January – 1862 August, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, The Adventures of Philip on His Way through the World; […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1862, →OCLC

   1 more example

   Ortheris said nothing for a while. Then he unslung his belt, heavy with the badges of half a dozen regiments that his own had lain with, and handed it over to Mulvaney. "I'm too little for to mill you, Mulvaney," said he, "an' you've strook me before; but you can take an' cut me in two with this 'ere if you like."

   1888, Rudyard Kipling, The Madness of Private Ortheris

9. To pass through a fulling mill; to full, as cloth.
10. transitiveTo roll (steel, etc.) into bars.
11. transitiveTo make (drinking chocolate) frothy, as by churning.
12. intransitiveTo undergo hulling.

    This maize mills well.

13. intransitiveslangTo take part in a fistfight; to box.
14. transitivebusinessTo fill (a winze or interior incline) with broken ore, to be drawn out at the bottom.
15. UKobsoletethieves' cantTo commit burglary.

    And why not?—You would think little of peaching and hanging him for this Scotch affair.—Rat me, one might have milled the Bank of England, and less noise about it.

    1818, Walter Scott, chapter 6, in The Heart of Midlothian

    1 more example

    Ben mort, shall you and I heave a bough, mill a ken, or nip a bung, and then we'll couch a hogshead under the ruffmans, and there you shall wap with me, and I'll niggle with you.

    1611, Thomas Middleton, “The Roaring Girl”, in Arthur Henry Bullen, editor, The Works of Thomas Middleton, volume 4, published 1885, act 5, scene 1, pages 128–129

plural mills

1. One thousandth part.
   1. One thousandth of a US dollar, one-hundredth of a dime or one-tenth of a cent.

      Holonyms: cent < dollar

      1 more example

      The U.S. has never minted a mill coin, but the Coinage Act of 1792 describes this and other subdivisions of the U.S. dollar.

      Synonyms: millesimal

   2. One thousandth part in millage rates of property tax.

      They predict that the rate will probably go up by several mills next year.

      Synonyms: millesimal

   3. alternativebusinessAlternative form of mil (“one thousandth of an inch”).

      For this task, I prefer the plastic sheeting that is 10 mills thick.

      Synonyms: millesimal, thou

   4. abbreviationclippinginformalClipping of millimeter.

      For this task, I prefer the plastic bars that are 10 mills in diameter.

      Synonyms: millesimal, mm

   5. abbreviationclippinginformalClipping of milliliter.

      Synonyms: millesimal, ml

1. alternativeinformalAlternative form of mil (“million”).

plural mills

1. A line of three matching pieces in nine men's morris and related games.

present singular third person mills · participle present milling · participle past milled · past milled · alternative Mill

1. transitivecollectible card gamesTo move (a card) from a deck to the discard pile.
2. transitiveHearthstoneTo destroy (a card) due to having a full hand.

   what happens when a Quest Rogue uses Vanish and Malygos gets milled?

   2018 October 9, Ozzie Mejia, “Hearthstone: 4 decks to watch during the 2018 HCT Fall Championship”, in Shacknews

   Synonyms: burn

plural mills · alternative Mill

1. countableuncountablecollectible card gamesDiscarding a card from one's deck.

   he’s had some fairly infamous mills in other events. Back in 2017’s Spring Championships, he burned the crucial Archmage Antonidas

   2018 October 14, Jay Castello, “Pro Hearthstone player burns key card with perfect comedic timing”, in Rock Paper Shotgun

2. countableuncountablecollectible card gamesA strategy centered on depleting the opponent's deck.

   Great for mill, control, or even Voltron decks, Mnemonic Betrayal is a fantastic addition regardless of your strategy.

   2018 September 24, Collin MacGregor, “Top 10 Guilds of Ravnica Commander Cards in Magic The Gathering”, in heavy., archived from the original on 25 Sep 2018

   1 more example

   Kingsane ^([sic – meaning Kingsbane]) Rogue will forever have a negative connotation attached to it because it began as a mill deck, and mill is one of the most tilt-inducing strategies in fantasy card games.

   2018 June 16, Wavelength, “Efficient Off-Meta Decks Spotlight”, in Fade2Karma, archived from the original on 28 Nov 2021

1. A surname.
2. John Stuart Mill, English libertarian and utilitarian philosopher.

   I have endeavoured to acquire a knowledge of the Hare system, and I have read Mill upon the subject, and it seems to me that the present proposal is opposed to that system.

   1881 June 28, William Montgomery, speech in the New Zealand House of Representatives, seventh Parliament, third session, transcribed in, 1881, Parliamentary Debates, volume 28, page 225 http://google.com/books?id=fWEsAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA225&dq=mill

3. A village in North Brabant, Netherlands.
4. An unincorporated community in Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, United States.