Lewis & Short

pistrīnum (pristrīnum, Plaut. Pers. 3, 3, 15 Ritschl; id. Ps. 5, 1, 9 Fleck.), i, n. [pistor], a place where corn is pounded, a pounding-mill, mill; usually worked by horses or asses; but sometimes a lazy or otherwise bad slave was forced to perform this labor (cf. mola).

  1. I. Lit.: ut ferratus in pistrino aetatem conteras, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 6, 11: in pistrinum tradi, id. Most. 1, 1, 16: in pristrino credo, ut convenit fore, id. Ps. 5, 1, 9: te in pistrinum, Dave, dedam usque ad necem, Ter. And. 1, 2, 28: oratorem in judicium, tamquam in aliquod pistrinum, detrudi et compingi videbam, Cic. de Or. 1, 11, 46; Pall. 1, 42.
    As a term of reproach, of bad slaves: pristrinorum civitas, Plaut. Pers. 3, 3, 15.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Because bread was usually baked at the mill, a bakery: exercere pistrinum, Suet. Aug. 4: aliquem in pistrinum submittere, Sen. Ep. 90, 22; swine were fed there upon the bran, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 27.
    2. B. A wearisome, oppressive labor, drudgery: tibi mecum in eodem est pistrino, Crasse, vivendum, Cic. de Or. 2, 33, 144.