mill

/mɪl/
noun
  1. A building or machine where grain is ground into flour.
    • The mill's giant stone wheels have been turning for over a century.
    • Farmers bring their corn to the mill to be turned into meal.
    • The old water mill still grinds wheat into flour every Saturday.
  2. A factory or building where materials like paper, steel, or textiles are processed or manufactured.
    • She got a job at the textile mill after finishing school.
    • The steel mill employs hundreds of workers in the town.
    • Paper is made at a mill from wood pulp and recycled fibers.
  3. A small machine for grinding or crushing something, such as coffee beans or spices.
    • She bought a new spice mill for the kitchen.
    • He used a pepper mill to grind fresh pepper over the salad.
    • The coffee mill makes a loud noise when it crushes the beans.
verb
  1. To grind or crush something in a mill.
    • The machine mills the corn into a coarse meal.
    • They mill the wheat into fine flour at the factory.
    • She mills her own coffee beans every morning.
  2. To move around in a confused or aimless crowd.
    • After the concert, the crowd milled in the parking lot.
    • Fans milled around the stadium entrance waiting for the doors to open.
    • The shoppers milled about the mall with no clear destination.
Synonyms