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# millstone

«millstone» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **one of a pair of large, round, flat stones used in a mill…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 3 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a millstone, millstones)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A millstone is one of a pair of large, round, flat stones used in a mill to grind grain into flour. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#m1)

2) A millstone (round your neck) is a heavy problem or responsibility you can't get rid of. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In the Torah it is the upper stone of a hand-mill, which turns on the lower stone to grind grain. Elsewhere the Tanakh uses it for a hard heart "firm as the nether millstone", as a weapon (a woman threw one on Abimelech), and as grinding work done by captives. Interpretation: It may not be taken as a pledge, since it is needed to make food. The law is read as protecting a person's livelihood; taking it is like taking his life. The story of Abimelech is read by tradition as a punishment that fitted his crime. In the primary lessons: In history lessons on old mills and bread; in sayings and the Bible; in news: debt can be «a millstone round someone's neck».

### examples

- No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge; for he taketh a man's life to pledge. (Torah DEU.24.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x1)
- His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, firm as the nether millstone. (Writings JOB.41.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x2)
- And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and broke his skull. (Prophets JDG.9.53, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x3)
- Take the millstones, and grind meal; remove thy veil, strip off the train, uncover the leg, pass through the rivers. (Prophets ISA.47.2, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x4)
- The millstone turned slowly and ground the wheat. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x5)
- Old millstones are sometimes used in gardens. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x6)
- The river turned the wheel that turned the millstone. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x7)
- The debt was a millstone round his neck. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x8)
- A millstone is very heavy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x9)
- Jesus spoke of a millstone in one of his warnings in the Gospels. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x10)
- Four millstones formed his shield, and on a box-tree close by hung his giant sword. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/#x11)

### note

Plural: millstones. The phrase is «a millstone round/around your neck». A «milestone» (an important stage) is a different word.

### In the corpora

- [No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge; for he taketh a man's life to pledge.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/DEU.645/)
- [And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon Abimelech's head, and broke his skull.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JDG.313/)
- [His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, firm as the nether millstone.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/JOB.1147/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «millstone» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/millstone/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.