milling

American  

[mil-ing] / ˈmɪl ɪŋ /

noun

1. an act or instance of subjecting something to the operation of a mill.

2. an act or process of producing plane or shaped surfaces with a milling machine.

3. Coining.

   1. an act or process of making a raised edge on a coin or the like.

   2. an act or process of making narrow, radial grooves on such a raised edge.

   3. a number of grooves so made.

4. Slang. a beating or thrashing.

---

milling British  

/ ˈmɪlɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of grinding, cutting, pressing, or crushing in a mill

2. the vertical grooves or fluting on the edge of a coin, etc

3. (in W North America) a method of halting a stampede of cattle by turning the leaders in a wide arc until the herd turns in upon itself in a tightening spiral

---

Etymology

Origin of milling

1425–75; late Middle English. See mill ¹, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Born in 1932 in South Africa to Lithuanian Jewish immigrants who ran a malt business, Kirsh ventured into grain milling and then distribution, according to news reports.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

The cavities were created using focused ion beam milling in thick, mechanically exfoliated Bi2Te3 flakes.

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

County public defender’s office was seen milling around outside the courtroom.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 7, 2026

Hundreds of tourists could be seen milling around the fountain Friday, many holding phones aloft to snap pictures.

From Barron's • Dec. 19, 2025

No one in the milling crowd notices as he tosses it into the bottom of the cauldron.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern