mill-dam
Definition
- Noun:
- A dam built to create a head of water for operating a mill: A "mill-dam" is a barrier constructed across a stream or river to raise the water level, providing the necessary water power to drive a mill, such as a gristmill or sawmill.
Usage Examples
- (The dam that once held back water for the mill remains intact.)
- (The dam was essential for the mill's operation.)
Advanced Usage
- "behind the mill-dam": a phrase indicating a location or situation that is past or obsolete, often used in rural contexts.
- That idea is as outdated as a mill-dam in the age of electricity. (The concept is no longer relevant or useful.)
Variants and Related Words
Mill (n): a building equipped with machinery for grinding grain or other materials.
- The mill processed wheat into flour. (The building used machinery for grinding.)
Dam (n): a barrier built to hold back water.
- The dam created a reservoir for irrigation. (The barrier controlled water flow.)
Synonyms
- Weir: a low dam built across a river to raise the water level or divert flow.
- The weir served a similar purpose to a mill-dam. (Both structures manage water for specific uses.)
Related Idioms
- Water over the dam: referring to past events that cannot be changed.
- Don't worry about the mistake; it's water over the dam. (The issue is in the past and irrelevant now.)