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 notesIn 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
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like milking.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- milkings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ starts at five every morning on the farm.
Etymology
From Middle English milkinge, the -ing form of milk, itself from Old English meolc.
Synonyms
View more →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.
