English in a Minute: Run-of-the-Mill

Welcome to English in a Minute!

Mills process things like grain or make things like steel or paper. But what could “run-of-the-mill” mean?

A: Dan, that is a really, really special three-hole punch.
D: It’s just a run-of-the-mill three-hole punch.
A: I know office supplies. This is a run-of-the-mill three-hole punch. That three-hole punch is a special machine.
D: I’m going back to my desk now.
A: Maybe I can borrow it?

Something that is run-of-the-mill is easily found and not so special. This expression was first used in the late 1800s to describe goods that were not yet sorted for quality. Originally published at - https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a...