coffee-mill

A barista uses a coffee-mill to grind fresh beans.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A device for grinding coffee beans: A "coffee-mill" is a mechanical apparatus used to crush whole coffee beans into smaller particles, typically to prepare them for brewing. It is often a hand-operated or electric grinder.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She turned the handle of the old coffee-mill to grind fresh beans for breakfast. (A hand-operated device for grinding coffee.)
  • The antique coffee-mill on the shelf is purely decorative now. (An older, non-electric grinder.)

Advanced Usage

• "to use a coffee-mill": to operate a coffee grinder.

  • He prefers to use a coffee-mill rather than buying pre-ground coffee. (He grinds beans at home for freshness.)

• "coffee-mill grind": the specific coarseness or fineness produced by the mill.

  • For a French press, you need a coarse coffee-mill grind. (The grinding setting produces larger particles.)

Variants and Related Words

• Coffee grinder (n): a more general term for any device that grinds coffee beans, often synonymous with "coffee-mill" but can include electric models.

  • The electric coffee grinder is faster than the manual one. (A modern device for grinding coffee.)

• Mill (n): a broader term for a machine that grinds or crushes substances (e.g., pepper mill, grain mill).

  • This pepper mill works similarly to a coffee-mill. (A device for grinding spices.)

Synonyms

• Grinder: a machine that reduces something to small particles.
• Burr mill: a specific type of coffee-mill that uses two abrasive surfaces to grind beans consistently.

Phrasal Verbs

• Grind up: to crush into smaller pieces using a mill.
  • She ground up the coffee beans in the coffee-mill. (She used the mill to produce ground coffee.)

Related Idioms

• Run of the mill: ordinary or average, not exceptional (derived from the consistent output of a mill).
  • This coffee is run of the mill — nothing special. (It is ordinary, not high-quality.)