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
1
A machine, or the building housing it, used to grind grain into flour.
"The old watermill still grinds wheat for the village bakery."
"The farmer took his wheat to the mill every autumn."
"Visitors can tour the mill and see the huge stone wheels turn."
2
A factory that processes a raw material, such as paper, steel, or cloth.
"Her grandfather worked at the steel mill for forty years."
"Many people in the town found work at the cotton mill."
"The paper mill by the river closed when I was a child."
3
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."
"Critics say the website is an essay mill that sells poor work."
"The company has become a content mill, producing hundreds of weak articles daily."
verb
1
To grind, cut, or shape material using a mill or milling machine.
"The workshop mills the metal parts to exact measurements."
"The machine mills a smooth groove along the edge of each plank."
"Engineers mill the steel block into the shape of a gear."
2
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."
"Shoppers milled around the entrance, waiting for the sale to start."
"Passengers were milling about on the platform because the train was late."
How to use mill
Learner’s notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- mills
- Third person singular
- mills
- Past tense
- milled
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The farmer took his wheat to the _____ every autumn.
Etymology
From Old English mylen, borrowed from Late Latin molīnum, "mill," itself from Latin molō, "I grind."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for mill
See all rhymes for mill →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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