# go through the mill

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/go-through-the-mill
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.

## Examples

- New recruits really go through the mill during their first month.
- After going through the mill in medical school, she finally felt ready to handle any emergency in the hospital.
- Having gone through the mill of intense professional training, the young musician possessed a technical mastery that far surpassed his peers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.