all is grist that comes to the mill
- all is grist that comes to the mill
Everything that is received or obtained is put to use.
Grist is corn to be ground.
The is freqently replaced by a possessive pronoun or phrase. Similar to the older
all is fish that comes to the net. The metaphorical expression
grist to one’s mill is also found.
1655 T. FULLER Church Hist. Britain III. iii. Forein Casuists bring in a bundle of mortal sins, all grist for their own Mill.
1770 S. FOOTE Lame Lover I. 28 Well, let them go on, it brings grist to our mill: for whilst both the sexes stick firm to their honour, we shall never want business.
1896 A. WHYTE Bible Characters I. xii. Your stumble, your fall, your misfortune..all is grist to the mill of the mean-minded man.
1943 A. CHRISTIE Moving Finger ix. You’re failing to allow for the mentality of a Poison Pen—all is grist that comes to their mill.
1979 G. MITCHELL Mudflats of Dead iii. All was grist which came to a novelist’s mill, and he was still hoping that something, somewhere, would bring him what he still thought of as inspiration.
2000 ‘G. WILLIAMS’ Dr. Mortimer and Aldgate Mystery (2001) xviii. 94 ‘I should very much like to know,’ she said, ‘what picture was there that Agar felt was so eminently worth stealing. In my pursuit of him, all is grist to my mill.’
Proverbs new dictionary.
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All is grist that comes to his mill — Grist Grist, n. [AS. grist, fr. grindan. See {Grind}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Ground corn; that which is ground at one time; as much grain as is carried to the mill at one time, or the meal it produces. [1913 Webster] Get grist to the mill to have… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
all is fish that comes to the net — Everything can be used to advantage. The is frequently replaced by a possessive pronoun or phrase. Similar in form and sense to all is grist that comes to the mill. c 1520 in Ballads from MSS (1868–72) I. 95 Alle ys ffysshe that commyth to the… … Proverbs new dictionary
all — see all good things must come to an end it takes all sorts to make a world all things are possible with God all things come to those who wait all’s for the best in the best of all possible worlds all cats are grey in the dark … Proverbs new dictionary
mill — see the mill cannot grind with the water that is past all is grist that comes to the mill the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small … Proverbs new dictionary
grist — see all is grist that comes to the mill … Proverbs new dictionary
Grist — Grist, n. [AS. grist, fr. grindan. See {Grind}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Ground corn; that which is ground at one time; as much grain as is carried to the mill at one time, or the meal it produces. [1913 Webster] Get grist to the mill to have plenty in … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Grist — For the publication, see Grist Magazine.Grist is grain that has been separated from its chaff in preparation for grinding. It can also mean grain that has been ground at a grist mill. Its etymology derives from the verb grind. Grist can be ground … Wikipedia
To bring grist to the maill — Grist Grist, n. [AS. grist, fr. grindan. See {Grind}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Ground corn; that which is ground at one time; as much grain as is carried to the mill at one time, or the meal it produces. [1913 Webster] Get grist to the mill to have… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Thematic Index — absence absence makes the heart grow fonder he who is absent is always in the wrong the best of friends must part blue are the hills that are far away distance lends enchantment to the view out of sight, out of mind … Proverbs new dictionary
come — see all things come to those who wait the bigger they are, the harder they fall don’t cross the bridge till you come to it easy come, easy go never do evil that good may come of it first come, first served … Proverbs new dictionary
