miller
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To drown the MILLER is to put too much water in anything. The phrase was originally "to drown the MILLER’S thumb," or go over the specified mark, i.e., the thumb-mark, in adding water to ardent spirits.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “miller” mean?
To drown the MILLER is to put too much water in anything. The phrase was originally "to drown the MILLER’S thumb," or go over the specified mark, i.e., the thumb-mark, in adding water to ardent spirits.
Is “miller” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.