mill

A factory where machines produce materials such as paper, steel, or cloth.

• The mill produces paper.
• Steel from this mill is used to build bridges.
• Many textile mills once operated in this region.

Similar words: factory, plant

Common phrases: steel mill, textile mill, paper mill

A machine that crushes grain, pepper, or other materials into small pieces or powder.

• Pass me the pepper mill.
• This mill grinds grain into flour.
• She bought two wooden mills for salt and pepper.

Similar words: grinder

Common phrases: pepper mill, coffee mill, hand mill

A building containing machines that grind grain or process materials such as cloth.

• They took the wheat to the mill.
• The old mill used water to turn its wheel.
• Two former textile mills now house museums.

Common phrases: flour mill, water mill, old mill

To use a machine to crush grain or process another material.

• We mill our own wheat.
• The grain was milled into flour.
• This machine can mill metal as well as wood.

How to use it: mill something into something (They mill the wheat into fine flour.)

Similar words: grind, process

Common phrases: mill grain, mill wheat, mill grain into flour

To move around without a clear purpose, often as part of a group.

• People mill around the entrance.
• Guests milled about in the hotel lobby.
• Why is that crowd milling around outside?

How to use it: mill around/about (People milled around while waiting for the doors to open.)

Similar words: wander, drift about

Common phrases: mill around, mill about, mill around something

To make animals move around in a circle.

• The riders mill the cattle.
• They milled the herd into a tight circle.
• The rancher asked us to mill the horses.

Common phrases: mill cattle, mill the herd