bill

1
[ bil ]
/ bɪl /

noun

verb (used with object)

Idioms for bill

    fill the bill, to fulfill the purpose or need well: As a sprightly situation comedy this show fills the bill.

Origin of bill

1
1300–50; Middle English bille < Anglo-French < Anglo-Latin billa for Late Latin bulla bull2

OTHER WORDS FROM bill

bill·er, noun

Definition for bill (2 of 17)

bill 2
[ bil ]
/ bɪl /

noun

the parts of a bird's jaws that are covered with a horny or leathery sheath; beak.
the visor of a cap or other head covering.
a beaklike promontory or headland.

verb (used without object)

to join bills or beaks, as doves.

Origin of bill

2
before 1000; Middle English bile, bille, Old English bile beak, trunk; akin to bill3

Definition for bill (3 of 17)

bill 3
[ bil ]
/ bɪl /

noun

a medieval shafted weapon having at its head a hooklike cutting blade with a beak at the back.
Also called billman. a person armed with a bill.
Also called billhook. a sharp, hooked instrument used for pruning, cutting, etc.
Also called pea. Nautical. the extremity of a fluke of an anchor.

Origin of bill

3
before 1000; Middle English bil, Old English bill sword; cognate with Old High German bil pickax

Definition for bill (4 of 17)

bill 4
[ bil ]
/ bɪl /

noun British Dialect.

the cry of the bittern.

Origin of bill

4
First recorded in 1780–90; akin to bell2, bellow

Definition for bill (5 of 17)

Bill
[ bil ]
/ bɪl /

noun

a male given name, form of William.

Definition for bill (6 of 17)

Haley
[ hey-lee ]
/ ˈheɪ li /

noun

Alex,1921–92, U.S. writer.
William John CliftonBill,1925–81, U.S. musician: rockabilly pioneer.

Definition for bill (7 of 17)

Hartack
[ hahr-tak ]
/ ˈhɑr tæk /

noun

William John, Jr.Bill,1932–2007, U.S. jockey.

Definition for bill (8 of 17)

Mauldin
[ mawl-duh n ]
/ ˈmɔl dən /

noun

William HenryBill,1921–2003, U.S. political cartoonist.

Definition for bill (9 of 17)

Monroe
[ muh n-roh ]
/ mənˈroʊ /

noun

Definition for bill (10 of 17)

Rodgers
[ roj-erz ]
/ ˈrɒdʒ ərz /

noun

James CharlesJimmie,1897–1933, U.S. country-and-western singer, guitarist, and composer.
Richard,1902–79, U.S. composer of popular music.
William HenryBill,born 1947, U.S. distance runner.

Definition for bill (11 of 17)

Russell
[ ruhs-uh l ]
/ ˈrʌs əl /

noun

Definition for bill (12 of 17)

Terry
[ ter-ee ]
/ ˈtɛr i /

noun

Clark,1920–2015, U.S. jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player and singer.
Ellen (Alicia or Alice),1848?–1928, English actress.
MeganMarguerite Duffy,born 1932, U.S. playwright and feminist.
WilliamBillMemphis Bill,1898–1989, U.S. baseball player.
a male given name, form of Terrence or Theodore.
a female given name, form of Theresa.

Definition for bill (13 of 17)

Clinton
[ klin-tn ]
/ ˈklɪn tn /

noun

Definition for bill (14 of 17)

Cosby
[ kawz-bee, koz‐ ]
/ ˈkɔz bi, ˈkɒz‐ /

noun

William HenryBill,born 1937, U.S. comedian and actor.

Definition for bill (15 of 17)

Dickey
[ dik-ee ]
/ ˈdɪk i /

noun

James,1923–97, U.S. poet and novelist.
WilliamBill,1907–93, U.S. baseball player.

Definition for bill (16 of 17)

Evans
[ ev-uh nz ]
/ ˈɛv ənz /

noun

Definition for bill (17 of 17)

Gates
[ geyts ]
/ geɪts /

noun

Horatio,1728–1806, American Revolutionary general, born in England.
WilliamBill,born 1956, U.S. entrepreneur.

Example sentences from the Web for bill

British Dictionary definitions for bill (1 of 13)

bill 1
/ (bɪl) /

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for bill

C14: from Anglo-Latin billa, alteration of Late Latin bulla document, bull ³

British Dictionary definitions for bill (2 of 13)

bill 2
/ (bɪl) /

noun

the mouthpart of a bird, consisting of projecting jaws covered with a horny sheath; beak. It varies in shape and size according to the type of food eaten and may also be used as a weapon
any beaklike mouthpart in other animals
a narrow promontory Portland Bill
nautical the pointed tip of the fluke of an anchor

verb (intr)

(of birds, esp doves) to touch bills together
(of lovers) to kiss and whisper amorously

Word Origin for bill

Old English bile; related to bill bill ³

British Dictionary definitions for bill (3 of 13)

bill 3
/ (bɪl) /

noun

a pike or halberd with a narrow hooked blade
short for billhook

Word Origin for bill

Old English bill sword, related to Old Norse bīldr instrument used in blood-letting, Old High German bil pickaxe

British Dictionary definitions for bill (4 of 13)

bill 4
/ (bɪl) /

noun

ornithol another word for boom 1 (def. 4)

Word Origin for bill

C18: from dialect beel bell ² (vb)

British Dictionary definitions for bill (5 of 13)

Clinton
/ (ˈklɪntən) /

noun

Bill, full name William Jefferson Clinton . born 1946, US Democrat politician; 42nd president of the US (1993–2001)
his wife, Hillary Rodham. born 1947, US Democrat politician and lawyer: first lady (1993–2001); senator (2001–09); secretary of state (2009–13)

British Dictionary definitions for bill (6 of 13)

Evans
/ (ˈɛvənz) /

noun

British Dictionary definitions for bill (7 of 13)

Gates
/ (ɡeɪts) /

noun

Bill, full name William Henry Gates. born 1955, US computer-software executive and philanthropist; founder (1976) of Microsoft Corporation
Henry Louis. born 1950, US scholar and critic, who pioneered African-American studies in such works as Figures in Black (1987)
Horatio. ?1728–1806, American Revolutionary general: defeated the British at Saratoga (1777)

British Dictionary definitions for bill (8 of 13)

Haley
/ (ˈheɪlɪ) /

noun

Bill, full name William John Clifton Haley. 1925–81, US rock and roll singer, best known for his recording of "Rock Around the Clock" (1955)

British Dictionary definitions for bill (9 of 13)

Monroe
/ (mənˈrəʊ) /

noun

James. 1758–1831, US statesman; fifth president of the US (1817–25). He promulgated the Monroe Doctrine (1823)
Marilyn, born Norma Jeane Mortenson. later Norma Jeane Baker, sometimes spelled Norma Jean, 1926–62, US film actress. Her films include Niagara (1952), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), and Some Like It Hot (1959)

British Dictionary definitions for bill (10 of 13)

Rodgers
/ (ˈrɒdʒəz) /

noun

Richard . 1902–79, US composer of musical comedies. He collaborated with the librettist Lorenz Hart on such musicals as A Connecticut Yankee (1927), On Your Toes (1936), and Pal Joey (1940). After Hart's death his librettist was Oscar Hammerstein II. Two of their musicals, Oklahoma! (1943) and South Pacific (1949), received the Pulitzer Prize

British Dictionary definitions for bill (11 of 13)

terry
/ (ˈtɛrɪ) /

noun plural -ries

an uncut loop in the pile of towelling or a similar fabric
  1. a fabric with such a pile on both sides
  2. (as modifier)a terry towel

Word Origin for terry

C18: perhaps variant of terret

British Dictionary definitions for bill (12 of 13)

Terry
/ (ˈtɛrɪ) /

noun

Dame Ellen. 1847–1928, British actress, noted for her Shakespearean roles opposite Sir Henry Irving and for her correspondence with George Bernard Shaw
(John) Quinlan (ˈkwɪnlən). born 1937, British architect, noted for his works in neoclassical style, such as the Richmond riverside project (1984)

British Dictionary definitions for bill (13 of 13)

Russell
/ (ˈrʌsəl) /

noun

Bertrand (Arthur William), 3rd Earl. 1872–1970, British philosopher and mathematician. His books include Principles of Mathematics (1903), Principia Mathematica (1910–13) with A. N. Whitehead, Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy (1919), The Problems of Philosophy (1912), The Analysis of Mind (1921), and An Enquiry into Meaning and Truth (1940): Nobel prize for literature 1950
George William pen name æ . 1867–1935, Irish poet and journalist
Henry Norris . 1877–1957, US astronomer and astrophysicist, who originated one form of the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram
John, 1st Earl. 1792–1878, British statesman; prime minister (1846–52; 1865–66). He led the campaign to carry the 1832 Reform Act
Ken . 1927–2011, British film director. His films include Women in Love (1969), The Music Lovers (1970), The Boy Friend (1971), Valentino (1977), Gothic (1986), and The Rainbow (1989)

Medical definitions for bill

Evans
[ ĕvənz ]
Herbert McLean 1882-1971

American anatomist who isolated four pituitary hormones and discovered vitamin E (1922).

Scientific definitions for bill (1 of 2)

Evans
[ ĕvənz ]
Herbert McLean 1882-1971

American biologist who discovered vitamin E in 1922 and conducted research that led to the discovery of the growth hormone in the pituitary gland.

Scientific definitions for bill (2 of 2)

Russell
[ rŭsəl ]
Henry Norris 1877-1957

American astronomer who studied binary stars and developed methods to calculate their mass and distances. Working independently of Ejnar Hertzsprung, Russell also demonstrated the relationship between types of stars and their absolute magnitude. This correlation is now known as the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.

Idioms and Phrases with bill

bill

see clean bill of health; fill the bill; foot the bill; sell a bill of goods.