mill lay
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To force open the doors of houses in order to rob them.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “mill lay” mean?
To force open the doors of houses in order to rob them.
Is “mill lay” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.