noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

mill

mih

Mill (noun) means a machine, or the building housing it, used to grind grain into flour. Example: “The old watermill still grinds wheat for the village bakery.”

noun

A machine, or the building housing it, used to grind grain into flour.

"The old watermill still grinds wheat for the village bakery."

A factory that processes a raw material, such as paper, steel, or cloth.

"Her grandfather worked at the steel mill for forty years."

An institution or business that churns out large quantities of something with little regard for quality, often used dismissively.

"That university has been called a degree mill."

verb

To grind, cut, or shape material using a mill or milling machine.

"The workshop mills the metal parts to exact measurements."

Of a crowd, to move around aimlessly or in a disorganised way (usually as "mill about/around").

"Fans milled about outside the stadium before the gates opened."

How to Use Mill

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA machine or factory that grinds or processes raw material, or, as a verb, to grind material — or for a crowd, to wander about without direction.

Common pairings

flour mill steel mill mill about run through the mill

Word Forms

milled past tense, milled past tense, mills plural, mills plural, mills plural, mills singular, mills singular

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Her grandfather worked at the steel _____ for forty years.

Etymology

From Old English mylen, borrowed from Late Latin molīnum, "mill," itself from Latin molō, "I grind."

Origin: Late Latin

Synonyms

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factory plant works grinder

Related Words

works plant industrial factory Miller sandwich machinery grinder

Rhymes for mill

ill kill sill bill will till hill fill Jill dill gill pill

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “mill” mean?

The word “mill” means a machine, or the building housing it, used to grind grain into flour. In plain terms, a machine or factory that grinds or processes raw material, or, as a verb, to grind material — or for a crowd, to wander about without direction.

How do you pronounce “mill”?

“Mill” is pronounced mih ([mɪɫ] in IPA).

How do you use “mill” in a sentence?

Here is “mill” used in a sentence: “The old watermill still grinds wheat for the village bakery.”

What part of speech is “mill”?

Depending on how it is used, “mill” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “mill” come from?

The word “mill” comes from Late Latin. From Old English mylen, borrowed from Late Latin molīnum, "mill," itself from Latin molō, "I grind.".

Is “mill” a common word?

“Mill” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “mill” have?

“Mill” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a machine, or the building housing it, used to grind grain into flour.

What is the difference between a mill and a factory?

A mill is traditionally a machine, or the building housing it, that grinds grain into flour, and by extension a factory that processes a raw material such as paper, steel, or cloth. Factory is the broader word for any building where goods are made. Industries that process raw materials often keep the older word: steel mill, paper mill, cotton mill.

What is the difference between a mill and a grinder?

A grinder is typically a small device or tool for grinding something, such as coffee or spices. A mill can be a small device too (a pepper mill), but it can also be a large machine or an entire building used to grind grain into flour or to process raw materials on an industrial scale.

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works plant industrial factory Miller sandwich machinery grinder