Meanings
present singular third person mills around · participle present milling around · participle past milled around · past milled around
- intransitiveusuallyTo move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area.
There were a few eager teens milling around in the parking lot.
2008 April 30, Matt Selman, “Grand Theft Auto IV: The 6.24% Review”, in Time1 more example
"I hope you don't think you're going to mill around out here alone," Rowdy said tartly.
1907, B. M. Bower, chapter 2, in Rowdy of the Cross L
Synonyms & antonyms
verbbe about a place without any apparent purpose
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Māori popō, whakatairangi
- popōTo move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area
- whakatairangiTo move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area
Spanish pulular
- pulularTo move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area
Cite this entry
mill around. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mill%20around
“mill around.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mill%20around. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mill around,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mill%20around.
Source: mill around on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.