to see into a millstone

9.9

To try to understand something very confusing that seems impossible

idiom

: ver en un molino de piedra

Understanding the new tax code is as difficult as trying to see into a millstone.

Examples

For most outsiders, company politics are like trying to see into a millstone.
Even experts admitted it was impossible to see into a millstone when predicting the market.
It's hard to see into a millstone when the situation is so complicated!
I can't see into a millstone regarding his motives.
For most outsiders, company politics are like trying to see into a millstone.
Understanding the new tax code is as difficult as trying to see into a millstone.
Even experts admitted it was impossible to see into a millstone when predicting the market.

Synonyms

to grasp

vsto see into a millstone

146 4.1

To understand something difficult clearly

tries to solve extremely confusing problems even when success is unlikely

to crack the code

vsto see into a millstone

14 5.7

To find the secret meaning or solution in something difficult

attempts to solve extremely confusing or impossible problems but often fails

to unravel the mystery

vsto see into a millstone

8 5.2

To make a difficult or confusing problem clear

tries to solve problems seen as impossible rather than making them clear

to puzzle over

vsto see into a millstone

7 5.9

Think carefully about something because it is hard to understand

tries to solve extremely confusing problems often seen as impossible to solve

to puzzle out

vsto see into a millstone

4 4.4

To think hard to find the answer to a difficult problem

tries to solve things that are extremely confusing and likely impossible

to unriddle

vsto see into a millstone

1 7.2

To find the answer to a riddle or mystery

tries to solve extremely confusing or impossible problems rather than succeed

to scooby

vsto see into a millstone

Slang

9.9

To understand something difficult or confusing

tries to understand things that are extremely confusing and often impossible

Antonyms

to clarify

248 3.3

To make something clear so others can understand it

to simplify

99 2.5

Make something easier to understand or use

How Confusing

to see into a millstone

9.9

incomprehensible

46 8.8

to puzzle over

7 5.9

to follow

560 1.4

to understand

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

see into a millstone infinitive

seeing into a millstone present participle

sees into a millstone third person singular

saw into a millstone past

seen into a millstone past participle

Morphology

see + into + a + millstone

The verb 'see' + preposition 'into' clearly conveys an attempt to look or understand, and the provided sense of 'millstone' as an oppressive burden gives a clue that the object is heavy or problematic; together they suggest trying to understand a difficult problem. However, the overall idiomatic sense (that the thing is extremely confusing or effectively impossible to figure out) is a metaphorical extension and not a fully predictable composition in English, so a B1 learner would only partially infer the exact meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

See into a millstone may come from people trying to look inside a big, solid stone wheel called a millstone that grinds grain. Because the inside is dark and you cannot see how it works, the phrase came to mean 'impossible to understand'.