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noun Uncommon

milking

MIHL-kihng

Milking (noun) means the action of drawing milk from an animal, typically a cow or goat. Example: “Milking starts at five every morning on the farm.”

noun
1
The action of drawing milk from an animal, typically a cow or goat.
"Milking starts at five every morning on the farm."
"The dairy switched to automated milking to save labour costs."
verb
1
(figurative, informal) Exploiting a situation, person, or resource for as much benefit as possible.
"The actor was accused of milking the applause for an extra bow."
"He kept milking the injury for sympathy long after he'd recovered."

How to use milking

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the literal act of getting milk from an animal, or, informally, squeezing every last bit of advantage out of something.

Common pairings
milking a cow milking machine milking it for sympathy

Word forms

milkings plural

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_____ starts at five every morning on the farm.

Etymology

From Middle English milkinge, the -ing form of milk, itself from Old English meolc.

Origin: Old English

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “milking” mean?

The word “milking” means the action of drawing milk from an animal, typically a cow or goat. In plain terms, either the literal act of getting milk from an animal, or, informally, squeezing every last bit of advantage out of something.

How do you pronounce “milking”?

“Milking” is pronounced MIHL-kihng (/ˈmɪlkɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “milking” in a sentence?

Here is “milking” used in a sentence: “Milking starts at five every morning on the farm.”

What part of speech is “milking”?

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

Where does the word “milking” come from?

The word “milking” comes from Old English. From Middle English milkinge, the -ing form of milk, itself from Old English meolc.

Is “milking” a common word?

“Milking” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “milking” have?

“Milking” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the action of drawing milk from an animal, typically a cow or goat.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial