mill-pond

A small boat floats on the calm surface of the mill-pond.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A pond that supplies water to a mill: "mill-pond" refers to a body of water, often artificial, created by damming a stream or river to provide a reservoir of water for powering a watermill.
   • A calm or placid body of water: By extension, "mill-pond" is used figuratively to describe any very still, smooth, or peaceful expanse of water, especially the sea or a lake.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The old watermill is still in operation, fed by a large mill-pond behind the farmhouse. (The pond supplies water to power the mill.)
  • After the storm, the lake was as still as a mill-pond, with not a single ripple. (The water was extremely calm and smooth.)

Advanced Usage

• "like a mill-pond": an idiomatic phrase used to describe a very calm and smooth surface of water, especially the sea.

  • The sea was like a mill-pond, making the boat journey perfectly comfortable. (The sea was exceptionally calm, with no waves.)

• "mill-pond calm": a descriptive phrase emphasizing extreme tranquility of water.

  • We rowed across the mill-pond calm bay under the clear morning sky. (The bay was as placid as a mill-pond.)

Variants and Related Words

• Millpond (n): a single-word variant spelling without the hyphen, meaning the same thing.

  • The children played by the millpond, skipping stones across its glassy surface. (The pond near the mill.)

• Millrace (n): the fast-moving stream of water that flows from a mill-pond to the mill wheel.

  • The millrace roared as it channeled water from the mill-pond to turn the wheel. (The channel carrying water from the pond.)

Synonyms

• Reservoir: a large natural or artificial lake used as a water supply.
• Pond: a small body of still water.
• Placid water: calm, unruffled water.

Related Idioms

• Smooth as a mill-pond: describing a completely calm surface of water.

  • The harbor was smooth as a mill-pond, with yachts gently bobbing. (Extremely calm.)

• As still as a mill-pond: emphasizing total absence of movement in water.

  • The river was as still as a mill-pond, reflecting the trees perfectly. (Completely motionless.)