water to one's mill
That which energizes or stimulates one.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“This new project is water to my mill.”
“The professor loves difficult questions, so the student's challenging inquiry was truly water to his mill.”
“For the ambitious researcher, the discovery of the rare manuscript served as water to her mill, providing the exact evidence needed to complete her thesis.”
From the image of water directed into a channel to power a watermill. The idiom identifies an occurrence that provides an advantage or serves a particular interest, with similar constructions appearing across numerous European languages.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026