milling

[ mil-ing ]

/ ˈmɪl ɪŋ /

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noun

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

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

Coining.

an act or process of making a raised edge on a coin or the like.
an act or process of making narrow, radial grooves on such a raised edge.
a number of grooves so made.

Slang. a beating or thrashing.

Nearby words

millimicron, millimole, milline, milliner, millinery, milling, milling machine, millington, million, million electron volts, millionaire

Origin of milling

1425–75; late Middle English. See mill¹, -ing¹

Definition for milling (2 of 2)

mill

[ mil ]

/ mɪl /

noun

a factory for certain kinds of manufacture, as paper, steel, or textiles.

a building equipped with machinery for grinding grain into flour and other cereal products.

a machine for grinding, crushing, or pulverizing any solid substance: a coffee mill.

any of various machines that modify the shape or size of a workpiece by rotating tools or the work: rolling mill.

any of various other apparatuses for shaping materials or performing other mechanical operations.

a business or institution that dispenses products or services in an impersonal or mechanical manner, as if produced in a factory: a divorce mill; a diploma mill.

Machinery. a cutter on a milling machine.

a steel roller for receiving and transferring an impressed design, as to a calico-printing cylinder or a banknote-printing plate.

Mining. a place or set of machinery for crushing or concentrating ore.

Slang. a boxing match or fistfight.

verb (used with object)

to grind, work, treat, or shape in or with a mill.

Coining.

to make a raised edge on (a coin or the like).
to make narrow, radial grooves on the raised edge of (a coin or the like).

to beat or stir, as to a froth: to mill chocolate.

Slang. to beat or strike; fight; overcome.

verb (used without object)

to move around aimlessly, slowly, or confusedly, as a herd of cattle (often followed by about or around).

Slang. to fight or box.

Origin of mill

before 950; Middle English milne, mille (noun), Old English myl(e)n < Late Latin molīna, noun use of feminine of molīnus of a mill, equivalent to Latin mol(a) mill + -īnus -ine¹

SYNONYMS FOR mill

15 crowd, wander, roam, teem.

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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for milling

Milling crowds turned out asking for U.S. help and there was praise for Kerry.
EuroMaidan Protesters: We Want U.S. Protection|Jamie Dettmer|March 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There, hundreds of passengers were milling around with their luggage in a state of utter confusion.
LAX: Chaotic Scene Greets Arriving Passengers After Shooting Attack|Marlow Stern|November 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Girls are milling outside in mini-dresses and low-cropped tops talking to bouncers behind the red velvet ropes.
Paris Hilton's Trippy Los Angeles Release Party For Her Single With Lil Wayne|Jean Trinh|October 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It was after lunch, and the 80 or so veterans were milling around, chatting, and watching TV.
From PTSD to Prison: Why Veterans Become Criminals|Matthew Wolfe|July 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Her children were milling around and acting up as children will, yet she kept her focus as she talked.
Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum’s Activist First Lady, Karen|Eleanor Clift|January 5, 2012|DAILY BEAST
To speak of the wonderful strides which the art of milling has taken during the past decade has become exceedingly trite.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 303|Various
If they should now get to milling, doubtless many of them would be crushed to death!
The Brand|Therese Broderick
Its principal industries are: distilling, milling, machinery-making, leather-working and saw-milling.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3|Various
The scientist jumped out and made his way through the milling crowd.
Tom Swift and the Electronic Hydrolung|Victor Appleton
There were four or five hundred people there, milling around like a herd of restless cattle.
Tinker's Dam|Joseph Tinker

British Dictionary definitions for milling (1 of 4)

milling

/ (ˈmɪlɪŋ) /

noun

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

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

(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

British Dictionary definitions for milling (2 of 4)

mill

/ (mɪl) /

noun

a building in which grain is crushed and ground to make flour

a factory, esp one which processes raw materialsa steel mill

any of various processing or manufacturing machines, esp one that grinds, presses, or rolls

any of various small hand mills used for grinding pepper, salt, or coffee for domestic purposesSee also coffee mill, pepper mill

a hard roller for impressing a design, esp in a textile-printing machine or in a machine for printing banknotes

a system, institution, etc, that influences people or things in the manner of a factorygoing through the educational mill

an unpleasant experience; ordeal (esp in the phrases go or be put through the mill)

a fist fight

run of the mill ordinary or routine

verb

(tr) to grind, press, or pulverize in or as if in a mill

(tr) to process or produce in or with a mill

to cut or roll (metal) with or as if with a milling machine

(tr) to groove or flute the edge of (a coin)

(intr; often foll by about or around) to move about in a confused manner

(usually tr) rare to beat (chocolate, etc)

archaic, slang to fight, esp with the fists

Derived Formsmillable, adjective

Word Origin for mill

Old English mylen from Late Latin molīna a mill, from Latin mola mill, millstone, from molere to grind

British Dictionary definitions for milling (3 of 4)

mill

/ (mɪl) /

noun

a US and Canadian monetary unit used in calculations, esp for property taxes, equal to one thousandth of a dollar

Word Origin for mill

C18: short for Latin mīllēsimum a thousandth (part)

British Dictionary definitions for milling (4 of 4)

Mill

/ (mɪl) /

noun

James. 1773–1836, Scottish philosopher, historian, and economist. He expounded Bentham's utilitarian philosophy in Elements of Political Economy (1821) and Analysis of the Phenomena of the Human Mind (1829) and also wrote a History of British India (1817–18)

his son, John Stuart. 1806–73, English philosopher and economist. He modified Bentham's utilitarian philosophy in Utilitarianism (1861) and in his treatise On Liberty (1859) he defended the rights and freedom of the individual. Other works include A System of Logic (1843) and Principles of Political Economy (1848)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for milling (1 of 5)

milling

"act or business of grinding in a mill," mid-15c., verbal noun from mill (v.1).

Word Origin and History for milling (1 of 5)

mill

n.1

"building fitted to grind grain," Old English mylen "a mill" (10c.), an early Germanic borrowing from Late Latin molina, molinum "mill" (source of French moulin, Spanish molino), originally fem. and neuter of molinus "pertaining to a mill," from Latin mola "mill, millstone," related to molere "to grind," from PIE *mele-, *mel- "to crush, grind," with derivatives referring to ground material and tools for grinding (cf. Greek myle "mill;" see mallet).

Also from Late Latin molina, directly or indirectly, are German Mühle, Old Saxon mulin, Old Norse mylna, Danish mølle, Old Church Slavonic mulinu. Broader sense of "grinding machine" is attested from 1550s. Other types of manufacturing machines driven by wind or water, whether for grinding or not, began to be called mills by early 15c. Sense of "building fitted with industrial machinery" is from c.1500.

Word Origin and History for milling (2 of 5)

mill

n.2

"one-tenth cent," 1786, an original U.S. currency unit but now used only for tax calculation purposes, shortening of Latin millesimum "one-thousandth," from mille "a thousand" (see million). Formed on the analogy of cent, which is short for Latin centesimus "one hundredth" (of a dollar).

Word Origin and History for milling (3 of 5)

mill

v.2

"to keep moving round and round in a mass," 1874 (implied in milling), originally of cattle, from mill (n.1) on resemblance to the action of a mill wheel. Related: Milled.

Word Origin and History for milling (4 of 5)

mill

v.1

"to grind," 1550s, from mill (n.1). Related: milled; milling.

Idioms and Phrases with milling

mill

see grist for the mill; mills of the gods grind slowly; run of the mill; through the mill; tilt at windmills.

milling

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of milling

Definition for milling (2 of 2)

mill

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of mill

Examples from the Web for milling

British Dictionary definitions for milling (1 of 4)

milling

noun

British Dictionary definitions for milling (2 of 4)

mill

noun

verb

Word Origin for mill

British Dictionary definitions for milling (3 of 4)

mill

noun

Word Origin for mill

British Dictionary definitions for milling (4 of 4)

Mill

noun

Word Origin and History for milling (1 of 5)

milling

Word Origin and History for milling (1 of 5)

mill

Word Origin and History for milling (2 of 5)

mill

Word Origin and History for milling (3 of 5)

mill

Word Origin and History for milling (4 of 5)

mill

Idioms and Phrases with milling

mill