bill Meaning & Definition
What Does Bill Mean?
Bill is a noun that means A written list or inventory. (Now obsolete except in specific senses or set phrases; bill of lading, bill of goods, etc.). It can also mean A document, originally sealed; a formal statement or official memorandum. (Now obsolete except with certain qualifying words; bill of health, bill of sale etc.). As a verb, it means To advertise by a bill or public notice. As a verb, it means to peck.
Bill in Brief
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɪl/ |
| Synonyms | charge, account and peak |
| Plural | bills |
| Verb forms | bills, billing, billed |
Bill Definition (Noun)
- A written list or inventory. (Now obsolete except in specific senses or set phrases; bill of lading, bill of goods, etc.)
- A document, originally sealed; a formal statement or official memorandum. (Now obsolete except with certain qualifying words; bill of health, bill of sale etc.)
- A draft of a law, presented to a legislature for enactment; a proposed or projected law.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister, I beg to introduce a bill entitled […]
- A declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant, or a fault committed by some person against a law.
- A piece of paper money; a banknote. One hundred dollars.
- One hundred dollars.
- One hundred pounds sterling.
- A written note of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, with the price or charge owing; an invoice.
He received a bill of £9 for the groceries.
- A written note of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, listing the price or charge paid; a receipt.
- A paper, written or printed, and posted up or given away, to advertise something, as a lecture, a play, or the sale of goods
- A writing that binds the signer or signers to pay a certain sum at a future day or on demand, with or without interest, as may be stated in the document; a bill of exchange. In the United States, it is usually called a note, a note of hand, or a promissory note.
- A set of items presented together.
We've got a brilliant new comedian on the bill tonight.
- A list of pupils to be disciplined for breaking school rules.
Bill as a Verb
- To advertise by a bill or public notice.
- To charge; to send a bill to.
Noun
- The beak of a bird, especially when small or flattish; sometimes also used with reference to a platypus, turtle, or other animal.
- A beaklike projection, especially a promontory.
There is a lighthouse on Portland Bill.
- Of a cap or hat: the brim or peak, serving as a shade to keep sun off the face and out of the eyes.
Verb
- to peck
- to stroke bill against bill, with reference to doves; to caress in fondness
Noun
- Any of various bladed or pointed hand weapons, originally designating an Anglo-Saxon sword, and later a weapon of infantry, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries, commonly consisting of a broad, heavy, double-edged, hook-shaped blade, with a short pike at the back and another at the top, attached to the end of a long staff.
- A cutting instrument, with hook-shaped point, and fitted with a handle, used in pruning, etc.; a billhook.
- Somebody armed with a bill; a billman.
- A pickaxe or mattock.
- The extremity of the arm of an anchor; the point of or beyond the fluke (also called the peak).
Verb
- To dig, chop, etc., with a bill.
Noun
- The bell, or boom, of the bittern.
Verb
- To roll up a marijuana cigarette.
Synonyms of Bill
Bill in a Sentence
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister, I beg to introduce a bill entitled […]
He received a bill of £9 for the groceries.
We've got a brilliant new comedian on the bill tonight.
There is a lighthouse on Portland Bill.
Word Forms & Grammar
bill (plural bills)
bill (third-person singular simple present bills, present participle billing, simple past and past participle billed)
Words That Rhyme With Bill
Origin of Bill
Origin 1: From Middle English bille, from Anglo-Norman bille, from Old French bulle, from Medieval Latin bulla (“seal, sealed document”). Doublet of bull (“papal bull; bubble”) and bulla.
Origin 2: From Middle English bill, bil, bille, bile, from Old English bile (“beak (of a bird); trunk (of an elephant)”), of unknown origin. Perhaps from a special use of Old English bil, bill (“hook; sword”) (see below).
Origin 3: From Middle English bill, bille, bil, from Old English bil, bill (“a hooked point; curved weapon; two-edged sword”), from Proto-Germanic *bilją (“axe; sword; blade”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyH- (“to strike; beat”). Cognate with West Frisian bile (“axe”), Dutch bijl (“axe”), German Bille (“axe”).
Origin 4: Onomatopoeic.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bill
Is bill a noun or a verb?
Bill is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for bill?
Close synonyms of bill are charge, account and peak. See the full list of bill synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of bill?
The plural of bill is bills.
What is the past tense of bill?
The past tense of bill is billed. The present participle is billing.