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Glite Dictionary
milldam

milldam

9.5
A dam that holds water to make a pond giving power to a water wheel
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪlˌdæm/
translation icon : presa de molino
  • The old milldam was rebuilt to restore power to the historic water mill.

Examples

  • They picnicked by the milldam, watching the water spill into the millrace.

  • The old milldam still stands after many years.

  • Flooding washed away part of the milldam, threatening the structure upstream.

  • Many milldams were built during the industrial revolution.

  • The old milldam provided the necessary water to power the local sawmill.

  • We watched the water flow over the milldam, creating a peaceful pond behind it.

  • The historic milldam was restored to preserve the village's water-powered heritage.

Synonyms

dam
vsmilldam
205 1.8

A barrier across a river that holds back water

creates a pond that supplies water power for a mill

Surface Forms

milldam singular
milldams plural

Morphology

milldam = mill + dam (transparent) = mill + dam

The word is a straightforward compound of 'mill' + 'dam', meaning a dam associated with a mill to form a millpond.

Etymology

Milldam joins mill, a place that 'grinds grain', and dam, a structure that 'holds back water'. So, a milldam is the dam that makes a pond to give water power to a water mill.