Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MILL, n.² [Sax. miln; W. melin; Ir. meile or muilean; Corn. melyn; Ann. mell or melin; Fr. moulin; L. mola; Gr. μυλη, μυλος; G. mühle; D. molen; Sw. möl; Dan. mölle; Sp. molino; mulino; Russ. melnitsa; Goth. malan, to grind, Ir. meilim, Fr. moudre, for mouldre, W. malu, Arm. mala or malein, Sp. moler, L. molo, G. mahlen, D. maalen, Sw. mäla, Dan. maler; Port. moêr, by contraction, Russ. melyu. It is not certain which is the original word, the noun or the verb; or whether both are from a prior radical sense. We observe that the elements of this word coincide with those of L. mel, honey, mollis, Eng. mellow, mild, mold, meal, W. mall, &c. all expressive of softness. Grinding is now breaking by friction or pressure, but not improbably grain was pulverized by beating or pounding before the use of the quern. If so, mill may coincide in origin with mallet. We observe that this word is in the languages of all the great European families, Celtic, Teutonic and Slavonic.]

1. A complicated engine or machine for grinding and reducing to fine particles, grain, fruit or other substance, or for performing other operations by means of wheels and a circular motion; as a grist-mill for grain; a coffee-mill; a cider-mill; a bark-mill. The original purpose of mills was to comminute grain for food, but the word mill is now extended to engines or machines moved by water, wind or steam, for carrying on many other operations. We have oil-mills, saw-mills, slitting-mills, bark-mills, fulling mills, &c.
2. The house or building that contains the machinery for grinding, &c.

MILL, v.t.

1. To grind; to comminute; to reduce to fine particles or to small pieces.
2. To beat up chocolate. Johnson.
3. To stamp coin.
4. To full, as cloth.

MILL'COG, n.

The cog of a mill wheel. Mortimer.

MILL'DAM, n.

A dam or mound to obstruct a water-course, and raise the water to an altitude sufficient to turn a mill wheel. Mortimer.

MIL-LE-NA'RI-AN, n.

A chiliast; one who believes in the millennium, and that Christ will reign on earth with his saints a thonsand years before the end of the world. Encyc.

MIL-LEN-A'RI-AN-ISM, a.

The doctrine of millenarians.

MIL'LE-NA-RY, a. [Fr. millenaire.]

Consisting of a thousand. Arbuthnot.

MIL-LEN'NI-AL, a.

Pertaining to the millennium, or to a thousand years; as, millennial period; millennial happiness. Burnet.

MIL-LEN-NI'AL-IST, n.

One who believes that Christ will reign on earth a thousand years; a chiliast. Stowe.

MIL'LEN-NIST, n.

One who holds to the millennium. [Not used.] Johnson.

MIL-LEN'NI-UM, n. [L. mille, a thousand, and annus, year.]

A thousand years; a word used to denote the thousand years mentioned in Revelations xx, during which period is Satan will be bound and restrained from seducing men to sin, and Christ will reign on earth with his saints.

MIL'LE-PED, n. [L. mille, a thousand, and pes, foot.]

The wood-louse, an insect having many feet, a species of Oniscus.

MIL'LE-PORE, n. [L. mille, a thousand, and porus, a pore.]

A genus of lithophytes or polypiers of various forms, which have the surface perforated with little holes or pores, or even without any apparent perforation. Cuvier.

MIL'LE-PO-RITE, n.

Fossil millepores.

MILL'ER, n. [from mill.]

1. One whose occupation is to attend a grist-mill.
2. An insect whose wings appear as if covered with white dust or powder, like a miller s clothes.

MIL'LER-ISM, n.

The doctrines of William Miller, that the earth's physical destruction, and the second coming of our Savior, will take place the present year, [1843.]

MIL'LER-ITE, n.

A believer in the doctrines of William Miller.

MILL'ER'S-THUMB, n.

A small fish found in small streams.

MIL-LES'I-MAL, a. [L. millesimus, from mille, a thousand.]

Thousandth; consisting of thousandth parts; as, millesimal fractions. Watts.

MIL'LET, n. [Fr. millet or mil; It. miglio; Sp. mijo; L. milium; Sax. mil.]

A plant of the genus Milium, of several species, one of which is cultivated as an esculent grain. Encyc. The Indian millet is of the genus Holcus. Lee.

MILL'HORSE, n.

A horse that turns a mill.

MIL-LI-ARD', n. [Fr.]

A thousand millions.

MIL'LI-A-RY, a. [L. milliarium, a milestone.]

Pertaining to a mile; denoting a mile; as; a miliary column. D'Anville.

MIL'LI-A-RY, n.

Among the Romans, a mile-stone.

MIL'LI-GRAM, n. [L. mille, a thousand, and Gr. γραμμα, a gram.]

In the system of French weights and measures, the thousandth part of a gram, equal to a cubic millimeter of water. Lunier. The milligram is equal to .0154 English grains. Cyc.