Mill1, n.
n. [Lat. mille, a thousand.] An imaginary money of account of the United States, having the value of the tenth of a cent, or the thousandth of a dollar.
4 entries under this word
Mill
Mill2, n.
n. [O. Eng. mylene, miln, A-S. mylen, Icel. mylna, Dan. mölle, D. molen, O. H. Ger. mulin, muli, M. H. Ger. mül, N. H. Ger. mühle, allied to Lat. mola, molina, Gr. μύλη, μύλος; W. melin, Corn. melyn, Armor. melin, mell, Ir. muileán, meile, Gael. muileann; Fr. moulin, Pr. molina, molin, Sp. molino, Pg. moinho, It. mulino, from Lat. molina, molinus.]
Sense 1. An engine or machine for grinding or comminuting any substance, as grain, by rubbing or crushing it between two hard, indented surfaces, generally of stone or metal;—usually having a word prefixed, denoting the particular object to which it is applied; as, a grist-mill, a bark-mill, a coffee-mill, a paint-mill, a cider-mill, &c.
☞ In modern usage, the term mill includes various other machines or combinations of machinery, which resemble the flouring-mill, to which the term was first applied, not in its circular crushing or grinding action, but in the more general one of transforming some raw material by mechanical processes into a state or condition for use; as, saw-mills, cotton-mills, silk-mills, fulling-mills, oil-mills, slitting-mills, powder-mills, &c., to some of which the term manufactory, or factory, is also applied.
Sense 2. The building, with its machinery, where grinding, or some process of manufacturing, is carried on.
Sense 3. (Calico Printing.) A printing cylinder, of copper, the impression upon which has been obtained by a process like that performed by a milling tool, from a cylinder engraved by hand, called the die.
☞ Mill is often used in composition of words denoting that which appertains to, or is employed in, or about, a mill; as, mill-gearing, mill-hand, mill-horse, mill-house, mill-pond, mill-pool, mill-wheel, and the like.
Mill3, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. MILLED; p. pr. & vb. n. MILLING.] [Cf. O. H. Ger. muljan, maullen, mulen, malan, melan, M. H. Ger. müln, N. H. Ger. mahlen, D. malen, O. Sax. & Goth. melan, Icel. & Sw. mala, Dan. male, allied to Lat. molere. See supra.]
- To reduce to fine particles, or to small pieces; to grind; to comminute.
- To pass through a machine or engine; to shape or finish by passing through a machine;—used chiefly in reference to metal work.
- To make a raised border or impression around the edges of, or to cut fine grooves or indentations across the edges of, as a coin, to prevent clipping, or the disk-shaped heads of the adjusting screws of mathematical or optical instruments, to afford a better hold; also, to stamp in a coining press; to coin.
- To pass through a fulling-mill; to full, as cloth.
- To beat severely with the fists, as if in a fulling-mill. [Cant.] Smart.
To mill chocolate, to froth it. See FROTH.
Mill4, n.
n. A set-to; a pugilistic encounter. [Cant.]