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mill1 definition

mill (mil)

noun

    1. a building with machinery for grinding grain into flour or meal
    2. the machine for grinding grain
    1. a machine for grinding or pulverizing any solid material a coffee mill
    2. a machine for grinding or crushing fruits or vegetables to press out the juice a cider mill
    1. 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
    2. Informal an organization, establishment, etc. where things are done, produced, issued, etc. in a routine, rapid, mechanical way a diploma mill, a divorce mill
  1. a building or group of buildings with machinery for manufacturing or processing something; factory a textile mill
  2. a roller of hardened steel with a raised design on it, for making a die or printing plate by pressure
    1. milling cutter
    2. milling machine
  3. a raised edge, ridged surface, etc. made by milling

Etymology: 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 > meal, mild, Ger mahlen, Gr mylē, mill, L mollis, soft, molere, to grind

transitive verb

  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

intransitive verb

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

in the mill

in preparation

through the mill

Informal through a hard, painful, instructive experience, training, test, etc.
mill2 definition

mill (mil)

noun

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

Etymology: for L millesimus, thousandth < mille, thousand: cf. cent

mill3 definition

mill (mil)

noun

Slang mil
Mill definition

Mill (mil)

  1. Mill, James 1773-1836; Scot. philosopher, historian, & economist
  2. Mill, John Stuart 1806-73; Eng. philosopher & economist: son of James

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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