mill

mill

mill¹ [mil]

n.

[ME melle < OE mylen, akin to OHG mulin, ON mylna, all < 4th-c. Gmc borrowing < LL molinae, pl. of molina, mill < LL(Ec) molina, of a mill < L mola, millstone < IE base * mel-, to grind, crush > MEAL², MILD, Ger mahlen, Gr mylē, mill, L mollis, soft, molere, to grind]

1.

a) a building with machinery for grinding grain into flour or meal

b) the machine for grinding grain

2.

a) a machine for grinding or pulverizing any solid material [a coffee mill]

b) a machine for grinding or crushing fruits or vegetables to press out the juice [a cider mill]

3.

a) any of various machines for stamping, shaping, polishing, or dressing metal surfaces, coins, etc., or for making something by some action done again and again

☆ b) Informal an organization, establishment, etc. where things are done, produced, issued, etc. in a routine, rapid, mechanical way [a diploma mill, a divorce mill]

4. a building or group of buildings with machinery for manufacturing or processing something; factory [a textile mill]

5. a roller of hardened steel with a raised design on it, for making a die or printing plate by pressure

6.

a) MILLING CUTTER

b) MILLING MACHINE

7. a raised edge, ridged surface, etc. made by milling

vt.

1. to grind, work, process, form, polish, etc. by, in, or as in a mill

2. to raise and ridge the edge of (a coin), as a safeguard against wear and clipping; knurl

3. Now Rare to beat or whip (chocolate, etc.) to a froth

vi.

☆ to move slowly in a circle, as cattle, or aimlessly, as a confused crowd: often with around or about

——————

in the mill

in preparation

——————

through the mill

Informal through a hard, painful, instructive experience, training, test, etc.

☆ mill² [mil ]

n.

[for L millesimus, thousandth < mille, thousand: cf. CENT¹]

one tenth of a cent: $.001: a monetary unit used in calculating but not as a coin

mill³ [mil]

n.

Slang MIL²