QUERN

quern

(noun) a primitive stone mill for grinding corn by hand

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

quern (plural querns)

A mill for grinding corn, especially a hand-mill made of two circular stones.

Verb

quern (third-person singular simple present querns, present participle querning, simple past and past participle querned)

(transitive) To grind; to use a quern.

Source: Wiktionary

Quern, n. Etym: [AS. cweorn, cwyrn; akin to D. kweern, OHG. quirn, Icel. kvern, Sw. qvarn, Dan. quærn, Goth. qairnus (in asiluqaírnus), Lith. qìrnos, and perh. E. corn.]

Definition: A mill for grinding grain, the upper stone of which was turned by hand; -- used before the invention of windmills and watermills. Shak. They made him at the querne grind. Chaucer.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition