Mills

[ milz ]

/ mɪlz /

noun

C(harles) Wright,1916–62, U.S. sociologist.

Robert,1781–1855, U.S. architect and engineer.

QUIZZES

FOR POSTERITY’S SAKE, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Are words your bailiwick? Take the latest quiz on the words from July 6 to July 12 to find out.

Question 1 of 7

bailiwick

a creature, variously described as a serpent, lizard, or dragon, said to kill by its breath or look.

place or source of origin.

a person's area of skill, knowledge, authority, or work.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Definition for mills (2 of 3)

mill¹

[ 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.

Definition for mills (3 of 3)

mill²

[ mil ]

/ mɪl /

noun

a unit of monetary value equal to 0.001 of a U.S. dollar; one tenth of a cent: used at various times and places in the U.S. as a money of account, especially in certain tax rates.

Origin of mill

1785–95, Americanism; short for Latin millēsimus thousandth; see mil¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for mills

Mills was lying on the sidewalk, dying, right in front of people trained to save him.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
By the time the ambulance arrived, over 10 minutes later, it was too late—Mills died soon after arriving at the hospital.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Both Mills and Purdy can afford whatever devices and training they want—not something the average amputee can boast.
How Paralympian Amy Purdy Dances Like a Star|Rose Eveleth|April 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Of course, this being Sleepy Hollow, Mills has had her own brushes with the supernatural.
‘Sleepy Hollow’ Is TV’s Craziest, Most Over-the-Top New Show ... And You Should Watch It|Amy Zimmerman|October 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Carla Percival-Young, an architect with Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood Inc., has designed six new schools for storm safety.
More Tornado Shelters? Not Necessarily|David Cay Johnston|May 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Both these mills were to be erected on the open spot of ground formerly used as a parade by the marine battalion.
An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Vol. 1|David Collins
For Mary Matchwell, at the Mills, the tidings which had thrown the town into commotion had but a solitary and a selfish interest.
The House by the Church-Yard|J. Sheridan Le Fanu
The Hunkies were pushing out the Irish from the mills—cheaper labour.
Tramping on Life|Harry Kemp
These pictures, Mills said, were painted by the chiefs themselves, and depicted the life history and exploits of each warrior.
Boy Scouts in Glacier Park|Walter Prichard Eaton
If Mr. Mills has made no mistake, the President wrote a message substantially in favor of free trade.
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 8 (of 12)|Robert G. Ingersoll

British Dictionary definitions for mills (1 of 4)

Mills

/ (mɪlz) /

noun

Hayley. born 1946, British actress. Her films include Pollyanna (1960) and The Parent Trap (1961)

her father, Sir John. 1908–2005, British actor. His films include This Happy Breed (1944), Great Expectations (1946), and Ryan's Daughter (1971)

British Dictionary definitions for mills (2 of 4)

mill¹

/ (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 forms of mill

millable, 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 mills (3 of 4)

mill²

/ (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 mills (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

Idioms and Phrases with mills

mill

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

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

Mills

noun

QUIZZES

FOR POSTERITY’S SAKE, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Definition for mills (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of mill

SYNONYMS FOR mill

Definition for mills (3 of 3)

noun

Origin of mill

Example sentences from the Web for mills

British Dictionary definitions for mills (1 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for mills (2 of 4)

noun

verb

Derived forms of mill

Word Origin for mill

British Dictionary definitions for mills (3 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for mill

British Dictionary definitions for mills (4 of 4)

noun

Idioms and Phrases with mills

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

Mills

noun

QUIZZES

FOR POSTERITY’S SAKE, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Definition for mills (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of mill

SYNONYMS FOR mill

Definition for mills (3 of 3)

noun

Origin of mill

Words related to mills

Example sentences from the Web for mills

British Dictionary definitions for mills (1 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for mills (2 of 4)

noun

verb

Derived forms of mill

Word Origin for mill

British Dictionary definitions for mills (3 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for mill

British Dictionary definitions for mills (4 of 4)

noun

Idioms and Phrases with mills