milling

Pluralmillings (some meanings)

1. 1
   noununcountable

   Any way of grinding, cutting, or tearing up material using some kind of mill.

   Old plastic bottles go through milling to become small flakes.

   At the spice factory, milling turns dried chilies into a fine powder.

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The grinding of grain into flour or meal.

   Like crushing dry crackers into fine crumbs, but with grain.

   The milling of wheat turns hard grain into soft white flour.

   Stone milling keeps more of the grain's natural goodness.

   Similargrinding

3. 3
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A way of cutting metal or other material with a spinning tool.

   Like carving a shape out of a bar of soap with a spinning tool.

   The factory uses milling to shape its metal parts.

   Milling removed the rough edges from the steel block.

   Note
4. 4
   verb

   Present participle of mill. Use this -ing form for action happening right now.

   The workers are milling grain at the old watermill today.

   She is milling flour for tomorrow's bread.

   Note
5. 5
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The small ridges cut around the edge of a coin.

   Like the ridged edge of a bottle cap that helps your fingers grip.

   The milling on the quarter helps you feel its edge in the dark.

   Worn coins often lose their milling over many years.

   Similarreeding

   Note
6. 6
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The slow, circling movement of a crowd or a group of animals.

   Like a crowd circling around with no clear place to go.

   The milling of the nervous cattle worried the ranchers.

   A constant milling of shoppers filled the market square.

   Similarchurning, swirling, circling

7. 7
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The finished surface left on material after it has been milled.

   Like the smooth finish you feel on a polished tabletop.

   The smooth milling on the steel plate showed careful work.

   You could feel the fine milling across the face of the metal block.

   Similarfinish

8. 8
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The cutting and shaping of wood into finished lumber.

   Like turning a rough log into smooth, ready-to-use boards.

   The milling of the oak boards gave them a smooth finish.

   Custom milling turned the rough planks into trim for the new house.

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