King James Bible Dictionary

For grinding corn, mentioned as used in the time of Abraham (Genesis 18:6). That used by the Hebrews consisted of two circular stones, each 2 feet in diameter and half a foot thick, the lower of which was called the "nether millstone" (Job 41:24) and the upper the "rider." The upper stone was turned round by a stick fixed in it as a handle. There were then no public mills, and thus each family required to be provided with a hand-mill. The corn was ground daily, generally by the women of the house (Isaiah 47:1, 2; Matthew 24:41). It was with the upper stone of a hand-mill that "a certain woman" at Thebez broke Abimelech's skull (Judges 9:53, "a piece of a millstone;" literally, "a millstone rider", i.e., the "runner," the stone which revolves. Comp. 2 Samuel 11:21). Millstones could not be pledged (Deuteronomy 24:6), as they were necessary in every family.

General references
Jeremiah 25:10

Upper and nether stones of
Deuteronomy 24:6; Job 41:24; Isaiah 47:2

Used in Egypt
Exodus 11:5

Operated by:

Women
Matthew 24:41

Captives
Judges 16:21; Lamentations 5:13

Manna ground in
Numbers 11:8

Sound of, to cease
Revelation 18:22
Millstone

The mills of the ancient Hebrews probably differed but little from those at present in use in the East. These consist of two circular stones, each about eighteen inches or two feet in diameter, the lower of which is fixed, and has its upper surface slightly convex, fitting into a corresponding concavity in the upper stone. In the latter is a hole thorough which the grain passes, immediately above a pivot or shaft which rises from the centre of the lower stone, and about which the upper stone is turned by means of an upright handle fixed near the edge. It is worked by women, sometimes singly and sometimes two together, who are usually seated on the bare ground. (Isaiah 47:1,2) "facing each other; both have hold of the handle by which the upper is turned round on the 'nether' millstone. The one whose right hand is disengaged throws in the grain as occasion requires through the hole in the upper stone. It is not correct to say that one pushes it half round and then the other seizes the handle. This would be slow work, and would give a spasmodic motion to the stone. Both retain their hold, and pull to or push from , as men do with the whip or cross-cut saw. The proverb of our Saviour, (Matthew 24:41) is true to life, for women only grind. I cannot recall an instance in which men were at the mill."

Thomson, "The Land and the Book," c.34. So essential were millstones for daily domestic use that they were forbidden to be taken in pledge. (24:6) There were also larger mills that could only be turned by cattle or asses. Allusion to one of these is made in (Matthew 18:6) With the movable upper millstone of the hand-mill the woman of Thebez broke Abimelech's skull. (Judges 9:53)

MILL, noun [Latin mille, a thousand.] A money of account of the United States, value the tenth of a cent, or the thousandth of a dollar.

MILL, noun [Latin mola, molo, mel, honey, mollis; Eng. mellow, mild, mold, meal.

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, etc.

2. The house or building that contains the machinery for grinding, etc.

MILL, verb transitive To grind; to comminute; to reduce to fine particles or to small pieces.

1. To beat up chocolate.

2. To stamp coin.

3. To full, as cloth.

MILL'COG, noun The cog of a mill wheel.

MILL'DAM, noun A dam or mound to obstruct a water course, and raise the water to an altitude sufficient to turn a mill wheel.

MILLENA'RIAN, adjective Consisting of a thousand years; pertaining to the millenium.

MILLENA'RIAN, noun A chiliast; one who believes in the millenium, and that Christ will reign on earth with his saints a thousand years before the end of the world.

MIL'LENARY, adjective Consisting of a thousand.

MILLEN'IAL, adjective Pertaining to the millenium, or to a thousand years; as millenial period; millenial happiness.

MIL'LENIST, noun One who holds to the millenium. [Not used.]

MILLEN'IUM, noun [Latin mille, a thousand, and annus, year.]

A thousand years; a word used to denote the thousand years mentioned in Revelations 20. during which period Satan shall be bound and restrained from seducing men to sin, and Christ shall reign on earth with his saints.

A thousand years; the name given to the era mentioned in Revelation 20:1-7. Some maintain that Christ will personally appear on earth for the purpose of establishing his kingdom at the beginning of this millennium. Those holding this view are usually called "millenarians." On the other hand, it is maintained, more in accordance with the teaching of Scripture, we think, that Christ's second advent will not be premillennial, and that the right conception of the prospects and destiny of his kingdom is that which is taught, e.g., in the parables of the leaven and the mustard-seed. The triumph of the gospel, it is held, must be looked for by the wider and more efficient operation of the very forces that are now at work in extending the gospel; and that Christ will only come again at the close of this dispensation to judge the world at the "last day." The millennium will thus precede his coming.

General references
Isaiah 65:17-25; Zephaniah 3:11-13; Zech 9:9-10; Zech 14:16-21; Matthew 16:18-19; Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; Hebrews 8:11; Revelation 14:6; Revelation 20:1-15
Church, The Collective Body of Believers, Prophecies Concerning Prosperity of; Jesus, The Christ, Kingdom of; Jesus, The Christ, Second Coming of

MIL'LEPED, noun [Latin mille, a thousand, and pes, foot.] The wood-louse, an insect having many feet, a species of Oniscus.

MIL'LEPORE, noun [Latin 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.

MIL'LEPORITE, noun Fossil millepores.

MIL'LER, noun [from mill.] One whose occupation is to attend a grist-mill.

1. An insect whose wings appear as if covered with white dust or powder, like a miller's clothes.

MIL'LER'S-THUMB, noun A small fish found in small streams.

MILLES'IMAL, adjective [Latin millesimus, from mille, a thousand.]

Thousandth; consisting of thousandth parts; as millesimal fractions.

(Heb. dohan; only in Ezekiel 4:9), a small grain, the produce of the Panicum miliaceum of botanists. It is universally cultivated in the East as one of the smaller corn-grasses. This seed is the cenchros of the Greeks. It is called in India warree, and by the Arabs dukhan, and is extensively used for food, being often mixed with other grain. In this country it is only used for feeding birds.

Ezekiel 4:9

a kind of grain. A number os species are cultivated in the East. When green it is used as fodder, and for bread when ripe. (Ezekiel 4:9) It is probable that both the Sorghum vulgare and that Panicum miliaceum were used, and the Hebrew dochan may denote either of these plants.

MIL'LET, noun [Latin milium.] A plant of the genus Milium, of several species, one of which is cultivated as an esculent grain.

The Indian millet is of the genus Holcus.

MILL'HORSE, noun A horse that turns a mill.

MIL'LIARY, adjective [Latin milliarium, a milestone.]

Pertaining to a mile; denoting a mile; as a milliary column.

MIL'LIGRAM, noun [Latin mille, a thousand, and Gr. a gram.]

In the system of French weights and measures, the thousandth part of a gram, equal to a cubic millimeter of water.

The milligram is equal to .0154 English grains.

MIL'LILITER, noun [Latin mille, a thousand, and liter.]

A French measure of capacity containing the thousandth part of a liter or cubic decimeter, equal to .06103 decimals of a cubic inch.

MILLIM'ETER, noun [Latin mille, a thousand, and metrum, a measure.]

A French lineal measure containing the thousandth part of a meter; equal to .03937 decimals of an inch. It is the least measure of length.

MIL'LINER, noun [Johnson supposes this word to be Milaner, form Milan, in Italy.] A woman who makes and sells head-dresses, hats or bonnets, etc. for females.

MIL'LINERY, noun The articles made or sold by milliners, as head-dresses, hats or bonnets, laces, ribbons and the like.

MILLION, noun mil'yun. [Latin mille, a thousand.]

1. The number of ten hundred thousand, or a thousand thousand. It is used as a noun or an adjective; as a million of men, or a million men. As a noun, it has a regular plural, millions.

2. In common usage, a very great number, indefinitely.

There are millions of truths that men are not concerned to know.

MILL'IONARY, adjective Pertaining to millions; consisting of millions; as the millionary chronology of the Pundits.

MILL'IONED, adjective Multiplied by millions. [Not used.]

MILL'IONTH, adjective The ten hundred thousandth.

(Heb. always with the article, "the" Millo).

1. Probably the Canaanite name of some fortification, consisting of walls filled in with earth and stones, which protected Jerusalem on the north as its outermost defence. It is always rendered Akra i.e., "the citadel", in the LXX. It was already existing when David conquered Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:9). He extended it to the right and left, thus completing the defence of the city. It was rebuilt by Solomon (1 Kings 9:15, 24; 11:27) and repaired by Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:5).

2. In Judges 9:6, 20 it is the name of a rampart in Shechem, probably the "tower of Shechem" (9:46, 49).

fullness

1. The house of Millo, possibly a clan at Shechem
Judges 9:6; Judges 9:20

2. A name given to part of the citadel of Jerusalem:

General references
2 Samuel 5:9; 1 Chronicles 11:8

King Solomon raises a levy to repair
1 Kings 9:15; 1 Kings 9:24; 1 Kings 11:27

Repaired by King Hezekiah
2 Chronicles 32:5

King Joash murdered at
2 Kings 12:20

(a rampart, mound) a place in ancient Jerusalem. Both name and place seem to have been already in existence when the city was taken from the Jebusites by David. (2 Samuel 5:9; 1 Chronicles 11:8) Its repair or restoration was one of the great works for which Solomon raised his "levy," (1 Kings 9:15,24; 11:27) and it formed a prominent part of the fortifications by which Hezekiah prepared for the approach of the Assyrians. (2 Chronicles 32:5) The last passage seems to show that "the Milo" was part of the "city of David," that is, of Zion. Comp. (2 Kings 12:20)

1. Apparently a family or clan, mentioned in (Judges 9:6,20) only, in connection with the men or lords of Shechem.
2. The spot at which King Joash was murdered by his slaves. (2 Kings 12:20)

MILL'POND, noun A pond or reservoir of water raised for driving a mill wheel.

MILL'RACE, noun The current of water that drives a mill wheel, or the canal in which it is conveyed.

MILL'-SIXPENCE, noun An old English coin first milled in 1561.

MILLRE'A

MILLREE', noun A coin of Portugal of the value of $1.24 cents.

Not to be taken in pledge
Deuteronomy 24:6

Probably used in executions by drowning
Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2

Abimelech killed by one being hurled upon him
Judges 9:53

Figurative of the hard heart
Job 41:24

MILL'STONE, noun A stone used for grinding grain.

MILL'-TOOTH, noun plural mill-teeth. A grinder, dens molaris.