bill

Noun (1)

bill (plural bills)

1. A written list or inventory. (Now obsolete except in specific senses or set phrases; bill of lading, bill of goods, etc.)
2. A document, originally sealed; a formal statement or official memorandum. (Now obsolete except with certain qualifying words; bill of health, bill of sale etc.)
3. 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[…]
   • Why, I'll exhibit a bill in the parliament for the putting down of men.c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

   Synonyms:

   measure

4. (obsolete) 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.
   • ... the legion of bills in the suit have been transformed into mere bills of mortality ...1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, chapter 1, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC
5. (Canada, US) A piece of paper money; a banknote.
   • He gave the change for a three dollar bill. Upon examination, the bill proved to be counterfeit.1830, anonymous author, The Galaxy of Wit: Or, Laughing Philosopher, Being a Collection of Choice Anecdotes, Many of Which Originated in or about "The Literary Emporium"
   • […]So I wropped 'em up in a five dollar bill and tied 'em up and sent 'em, and they ain't back yet.”1935, Cabins in the Laurel, University of North Carolina Press, published 19 March 2014, →ISBN, page 231
   1. (Canada, US, slang) One hundred dollars.
      • There was no excuse, simply no excuse for not making four or five bills a week. A little initiative, that's all.1954, Budd Schulberg, On the Waterfront, Random House, page 25
      • All we got from her was Stranahan's location, and barely that. A house in the bay, she said. A house with a windmill. Easiest five bills that woman ever made.1989, Carl Hiaasen, Skin Tight, Penguin Group, →ISBN, page 113
6. (UK, slang) One hundred pounds sterling.
   • In the conversation Henshall says he "struggling to find people to go up the roads" explaining how it would be "no good for black people" and how they need a "young white boy to go up there".
     Stock agrees, saying how he knows "this kid" who "owes me 12 bills".2023, BBC News: "Newport: Drugs gang jailed for exploiting vulnerable child" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66570256
7. 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.
   • My lord, here is my bill.c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...

   Synonyms:

   account, invoice

8. (India, slang) A written note of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, listing the price or charge paid; a receipt.
9. A paper, written or printed, and posted up or given away, to advertise something, as a lecture, a play, or the sale of goods
   • In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties, such as our play wants.c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First...

   Synonyms:

   broadsheet, broadside, card, circular, flier, flyer, handbill, poster, posting, placard

10. 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.
    • Ay, and Rato-lorum too; and a gentleman born, Master Parson; who writes himself Armigero, in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, Armigero.c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

    Synonyms:

    bank bill, banker's bill, bank note, banknote, Federal Reserve note, government note, greenback, note

11. A set of items presented together.
    • We've got a brilliant new comedian on the bill tonight.
    • Meanwhile, the bills on the main stages skewed towards mainstream pop, with mixed results. Lorde’s Friday evening Other stage appearance was one of the weekend’s highlights. The staging and choreography were fantastic – a giant glass tank on a hydraulic platform, in and around which a troupe of...2017 June 26, Alexis Petridis, “Glastonbury 2017 verdict: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Lorde, Stormzy and more”, in the Guardian
12. (UK, Eton College) A list of pupils to be disciplined for breaking school rules.
    • One of the best stories of the period describes the misadventure of a batch of candidates for confirmation whose names were by accident sent up to the Head-Master on a piece of paper identical in size and shape with the "bill" used by the Masters for the purpose of reporting delinquents. Keate, we...1875, Sir H. C. Maxwell Lyte, A History of Eton College, 1440-1875, page 373

Verb (1)

bill (third-person singular simple present bills, present participle billing, simple past and past participle billed)

1. (transitive) To advertise by a bill or public notice.
   • [...] it will be recalled that in 1960 they were billed as the long-distance express multiple-units of the future, [...].1962 October, G. Freeman Allen, “First impressions of the Clacton electric multiple-units”, in Modern Railways, page 260

   Synonyms:

   placard

2. (transitive) To charge; to send a bill to.
   • The physician explains that this is an option for her and that she can sign the facility's ABN so that if Medicare denies the claim, the facility can bill her for the scan.1989, Michelle Green, Understanding Health Insurance: A Guide to Billing and Reimbursement

   Synonyms:

   charge

Noun (2)

bill (plural bills)

1. The beak of a bird, especially when small or flattish; sometimes also used with reference to a platypus, turtle, or other animal.
   • The woosel cock so black of hue, With orange-tawny bill, The throstle with his note so true, The wren with little quill[…]c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First...
   • […] The flesh [of the mistletoe berry] is sticky, and forms strings and ribbons between my thumb and forefinger. For the mistletoe, this viscous goop – and by the way, viscous comes to English from viscum – is crucial. The stickiness means that, after eating the berries, birds often regurgitate the...2014 December 23, Olivia Judson, “The hemiparasite season [print version: Under the hemiparasite, International New York Times, 24–25 December 2014, page 7]”, in The New York Times, archived from the...

   Synonyms:

   beak, neb, nib, pecker

2. A beaklike projection, especially a promontory.
   • There is a lighthouse on Portland Bill.
3. Of a cap or hat: the brim or peak, serving as a shade to keep sun off the face and out of the eyes.

   Synonyms:

   brim, hatbrim

Verb (2)

bill (third-person singular simple present bills, present participle billing, simple past and past participle billed)

1. (obsolete) to peck
2. to stroke bill against bill, with reference to doves; to caress in fondness
   • As the ox hath his bow, sir, the horse his curb and the falcon her bells, so man hath his desires; and as pigeons bill, so wedlock would be nibbling.c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...

Noun (3)

bill (plural bills)

1. 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.
   • At Floddon hyllys, / Our bowys, our byllys / Slew all the floure / Of theyr honoure.1513, John Skelton, Agaynst the Scottes; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 116, lines 25–28
   • In the British Museum there is an entry of a warrant, granted to Nicholas Spicer, authorising him to impress smiths for making two thousand Welch bills or glaives.1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, […], London: […] S. Hooper, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   polearm

2. A cutting instrument, with hook-shaped point, and fitted with a handle, used in pruning, etc.; a billhook.

   Synonyms:

   billhook, hand bill, hedgebill

3. Somebody armed with a bill; a billman.

   Synonyms:

   billman

4. A pickaxe or mattock.
5. The extremity of the arm of an anchor; the point of or beyond the fluke (also called the peak).

Verb (3)

bill (third-person singular simple present bills, present participle billing, simple past and past participle billed)

1. (transitive) To dig, chop, etc., with a bill.

Noun (4)

bill (plural bills)

1. The bell, or boom, of the bittern.
   • The bittern's hollow bill was heard.1793, William Wordsworth, An Evening Walk

Verb (4)

bill (third-person singular simple present bills, present participle billing, simple past and past participle billed)

1. (UK, ambitransitive, slang) To roll up a marijuana cigarette.
   • And we don't really need Netflix, I'mma give you something to watch / After we done, bill a spliff and cotch / Pour me a glass of the Henny on the rocks2016 February 14, Joseph Adenuga, Darren Dixon, Tariq Devega, “Ladies Hit Squad” (track 6), in Konnichiwa, performed by Skepta ft. D Double E and ASAP Nast, Boy Better Know

Proper noun capitalized: Bill

IPA/bɪl/

Bill (plural Bills)

1. A diminutive of the male given name William.
   • "My other name's Bill," he said. "I was christened Bill but Mr Thursgood calls me William." / "Bill, eh. The unpaid Bill. Anyone ever call you that?" / "No, sir." / "Good name, anyway." / "Yes, sir." / "Known a lot of Bills. They've all been good 'uns."1974, John le Carré, Tinker. Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Simon&Schuster, published 2002, →ISBN, page 7
   • One of his neighbours opposite, a nice old guy with a stoop and a horrible little Yorkshire terrier, called him Bill - always had done and presumably always would, right up till the day he died. It actually irritated Will, who was not, he felt, by any stretch of the imagination, a Bill. Bill...1998, Nick Hornby, About A Boy, Victor Gollancz, published 1998, →ISBN, page 208
2. (rare) A diminutive of the male given name Bilal.
   • Bill Essayli, Trump’s pick in April to temporarily lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, should have departed the post by July 31 under a 120-day limit imposed by federal law, U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright concluded.2025 October 28, Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein, “Judge rules LA’s top federal prosecutor was illegally appointed”, in POLITICO
3. A surname.
4. (UK, slang) A nickname for the British constabulary. Often called "The Bill" or "Old Bill"