If something is run-of-the-mill, it is ordinary. Nothing is wrong with it, but nothing makes you stop and look: a run-of-the-mill meal, a run-of-the-mill film, a run-of-the-mill day at work.

If something is如果某樣東西是 run-of-the-millrun-of-the-mill, it is那就是 ordinary很普通。Nothing is wrong with it它沒有什麼不好, but但 nothing makes you stop and look也沒有什麼會讓你多看一眼: a run-of-the-mill meal一頓run-of-the-mill的餐、a run-of-the-mill film一部run-of-the-mill的電影、a run-of-the-mill day at work一個run-of-the-mill的上班日。

It is a mildly cool, slightly disappointed word — not cruel, but not a compliment. You would not use it about a person you like to their face.

It is這個詞帶 a mildly cool, slightly disappointed word一點冷淡、有點失望的口氣 — not cruel不是刻薄, but但 not a compliment也不是稱讚。You would not use it你不會用這個詞 about a person you like形容一個你喜歡的人, to their face當著他的面。

The picture behind it is a mill, a factory: a “run” is one batch of cloth or goods, all made the same, none of it a special order. So run-of-the-mill started as “just the usual stuff off the line”, and from 1922 people used it for anything that is like that.

The picture behind it這個詞背後的畫面 is是 a mill, a factorymill，也就是工廠: a 'run'一個「run」 is指的是 one batch of cloth or goods一批布料或商品, all made the same全部做得一模一樣, none of it a special order沒有一件是特別訂做的。So所以 run-of-the-millrun-of-the-mill started as原本的意思是 'just the usual stuff off the line'「生產線上出來的普通東西」, and而 from 1922從1922年起 people used it大家開始用它 for anything that is like that形容任何像這樣的東西。

It is an adjective; we keep the hyphens.

It is它是 an adjective形容詞; we keep the hyphens連字號要保留。

Though actually, students sometimes hear mill and think of a windmill, or of grinding wheat. Here mill is the factory sense, and in real talk the phrase no longer points at a real mill at all — it just means “not special”.

Though actually不過其實, students sometimes hear mill學生有時候聽到mill and想到 think of a windmill風車, or of grinding wheat或磨小麥。Here mill這裡的mill is是 the factory sense工廠的意思, and而 in real talk在實際的用法裡, the phrase這個片語 no longer points at a real mill at all根本已經不再指真正的工廠了 — it just means 'not special'它就只是「不特別」的意思。