Water-mill

1.  A corn-mill whose machinery is driven by water. Also attrib.

c. 1425.  St. Christina, vii. in Anglia, VIII. 122. She wente streight vprighte on þe watir-mylne whele.

1464.  Rolls of Parlt., V. 529/1. A water Milne … with the ponde of the same Milne.

1484.  Paston Lett., III. 311. Tweyn water melles, wher off iche was letyn ffor x. marke be yer.

1585.  Aldeburgh Rec., in N. & Q., 12th Ser. VII. 402/2. P^d to Hille for xix Lodes cariedge of watermill gravell into the marshe xii^s viii^d.

1585.  Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 216/1. Tympanum,… the water mill wheele that taketh and deliuereth water in turning.

1635.  Bp. J. Williams, Articles Enq. Linc., C 3. Whether have you in your parish any water-mills,… which have been suffered to grinde or go upon the sabbath-day in prayer-time.

1726.  Swift, Gulliver, II. i. The sound of his voice pierced my ears like that of a water-mill.

1842.  Bischoff, Woollen Manuf., II. 167. The north of Germany is deficient both in coals and water mills.

1873.  B. Stewart, Conserv. Energy, ii. 26. Let us compare together a watermill driven by a head of water, and a windmill driven by the wind.

  2.  A water-wheel or a machine driven by a water-wheel.

1580.  Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Martinet, a water mill causing to rise the great hammer in the forge.

1617.  Moryson, Itin., I. 9. The beere of Torge is much esteemed through all Misen, whereof they sell such quantity abroad, as ten water-mils besides wind-mils, scarcely serve the towne for this purpose.

1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 233. Large water-mills are erected for spinning silk, wool, and thread.

  So Water-miller, the owner or manager of a water-mill. ? Obs.

a. 1530.  J. Heywood, Weather (Brandl), 443. Here entreth the water myller. Ibid., 446. We water myllers be nothynge in regarde.

1664.  Instr. Jury-Men Spalding, 23. Flood-gates … in a more peculiar manner, belong to the Water-Miller.