mill

Etymology 1

From Middle English mylne, mille, from Old English mylen, from Proto-West Germanic *mulīnu (“mill”), from Late Latin molīna, molīnum, molīnus (“mill”), from Latin molō (“grind, mill”, verb), closely allied to Proto-Germanic *muljaną (“to crush, grind”) (see English millstone). Perhaps cognate with Milne (a surname). Doublet of moulin.

noun

1. A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc.
   Pepper has a stronger flavor when it is ground straight from a mill.
2. The building housing such a grinding apparatus.
   My grandfather worked in a mill.
3. A machine used for expelling the juice, sap, etc., from vegetable tissues by pressure, or by pressure in combination with a grinding, or cutting process.
   a cider mill; a cane mill
4. A machine for grinding and polishing.
   a lapidary mill
5. A milling machine for machining of solid metal, wood, or plastic.
   lathes, mills, and drill presses
6. The raised or ridged edge or surface made in milling anything, such as a coin or screw.
7. A manufacturing plant for paper, steel, textiles, etc.
8. A building housing such a plant.
9. (figurative) An establishment that handles a certain type of situation or procedure routinely, or produces large quantities of an item without much regard to quality.
   divorce mill; puppy mill
10. (figurative, derogatory) An institution awarding educational certificates not officially recognised
11. (informal) An engine.
12. (informal) A boxing match, fistfight.
    The mill lasted four rounds, when giddy little Ettie was declared the victress. 1 Oct 1902, The Sydney Sportsman, page 5, column 6
13. (die sinking) A hardened steel roller with a design in relief, used for imprinting a reversed copy of the design in a softer metal, such as copper.
14. (mining) An excavation in rock, transverse to the workings, from which material for filling is obtained.
15. (mining) A passage underground through which ore is shot.
16. A milling cutter.
17. (historical) A prison treadmill.
    Next morning they put me on the treadmill along with the others: At first, not knowing how to dance it, I cut all my shin with the steps; they did not flog me then — […] They keep on putting her on the mill for a week, and flog her every time […] 1837, James Williams, A Narrative of Events Since the First of August, 1834, page 9
18. (CB radio slang) A typewriter used to transcribe messages received.
    In other words, get a mill in your operating position by hook or crook and use it regularly. At the N.C.R. Radio Schools touch typing is taught at the same time code proficiency is advanced. 1941, QST, volume 25, numbers 2-6, page 90
    You can read it all right, but the pencil seems to be getting a little sluggish — better make a grab for a "mill." 1986, Ham Radio Magazine, volume 19, page 66

verb

1. (transitive) To grind or otherwise process in a mill or other machine.
   to mill flour
2. (transitive) To shape, polish, dress or finish using a machine.
3. (transitive) To engrave one or more grooves or a pattern around the edge of (a cylindrical object such as a coin).
4. (intransitive, followed by around, about, etc.) To move about in an aimless fashion.
   I didn't have much to do, so I just milled around the town looking at the shops.
   As guests milled around them, he [Zuckerberg] described his goal of turning every person in the country with an internet connection into a Facebook user. 2021-07-08, Sheera Frenkel, Cecilia Kang, “Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg’s Partnership Did Not Survive Trump”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
5. (transitive) To cause to mill, or circle around.
   to mill cattle
6. (zoology, of air-breathing creatures) To swim underwater.
7. (zoology, of a whale) To swim suddenly in a new direction.
8. (transitive, slang) To beat; to pound.
   Ortheris said nothing for a while. Then he unslung his belt, heavy with the badges of half a dozen regiments that his own had lain with, and handed it over to Mulvaney. "I'm too little for to mill you, Mulvaney," said he, "an' you've strook me before; but you can take an' cut me in two with this 'ere if you like." 1888, Rudyard Kipling, The Madness of Private Ortheris
9. To pass through a fulling mill; to full, as cloth.
10. (transitive) To roll (steel, etc.) into bars.
11. (transitive) To make (drinking chocolate) frothy, as by churning.
12. (intransitive) To undergo hulling.
    This maize mills well.
13. (intransitive, slang) To take part in a fistfight; to box.
14. (transitive, mining) To fill (a winze or interior incline) with broken ore, to be drawn out at the bottom.
15. (obsolete, UK, thieves' cant) To commit burglary.
    Ben mort, shall you and I heave a bough, mill a ken, or nip a bung, and then we'll couch a hogshead under the ruffmans, and there you shall wap with me, and I'll niggle with you. 1611, Thomas Middleton, “The Roaring Girl”, in Arthur Henry Bullen, editor, The Works of Thomas Middleton, volume 4, published 1885, act 5, scene 1, pages 128–129
    And why not?—You would think little of peaching and hanging him for this Scotch affair.—Rat me, one might have milled the Bank of England, and less noise about it. 1818, Walter Scott, chapter 6, in The Heart of Midlothian

Etymology 2

Ultimately from Latin millesimum.

noun

1. An obsolete coin worth one thousandth of a US dollar, or one tenth of a cent.
2. One thousandth part, particularly in millage rates of property tax.

Etymology 3

noun

1. (informal) Alternative form of mil (“million”)

Etymology 4

noun

1. A line of three matching pieces in nine men's morris and related games.

Etymology 5

Back-formation from millstone, name of a Magic: The Gathering card with this effect (first printed 1994).

verb

1. (transitive, collectible card games) To move (a card) from a deck to the discard pile.
2. (transitive, Hearthstone) To destroy (a card) due to having a full hand.
   what happens when a Quest Rogue uses Vanish and Malygos gets milled? October 9, 2018, Ozzie Mejia, “Hearthstone: 4 decks to watch during the 2018 HCT Fall Championship”, in Shacknews

noun

1. (collectible card games) Discarding a card from one's deck.
   he’s had some fairly infamous mills in other events. Back in 2017’s Spring Championships, he burned the crucial Archmage Antonidas 14th October 2018, Jay Castello, “Pro Hearthstone player burns key card with perfect comedic timing”, in Rock Paper Shotgun
2. (collectible card games) A strategy centered on depleting the opponent's deck.
   Kingsane Rogue will forever have a negative connotation attached to it because it began as a mill deck, and mill is one of the most tilt-inducing strategies in fantasy card games. Jun 16, 2018, Wavelength, “Efficient Off-Meta Decks Spotlight”, in Fade2Karma, archived from the original on 2021-11-28
   Great for mill, control, or even Voltron decks, Mnemonic Betrayal is a fantastic addition regardless of your strategy. Sep 24, 2018, Collin MacGregor, “Top 10 Guilds of Ravnica Commander Cards in Magic The Gathering”, in heavy.