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Bill

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bill¹

  • /ˈbɪl/
  • [ˈbɪɫ]
  • /ˈbɪʊ̯/
  • [ˈbɪʊ̯]

Sounds like Bill · Rhymes with -ɪl

Where it comes from

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.

noun 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[…]
  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 ...
  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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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".
  8. 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.
  9. India, slang A written note of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, listing the price or charge paid; a receipt.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. A set of items presented together. We've got a brilliant new comedian on the bill tonight.
  13. UK 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 a

verb bills · billing · 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, [...].
  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.

bill²

  • /ˈbɪl/
  • [ˈbɪɫ]
  • /ˈbɪʊ̯/
  • [ˈbɪʊ̯]

Sounds like Bill · Rhymes with -ɪl

Where it comes from

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).

noun 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[…]
  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.

verb bills · billing · 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.

bill³

  • /ˈbɪl/
  • [ˈbɪɫ]
  • /ˈbɪʊ̯/
  • [ˈbɪʊ̯]

Sounds like Bill · Rhymes with -ɪl

Where it comes from

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”).

noun 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.
  2. A cutting instrument, with hook-shaped point, and fitted with a handle, used in pruning, etc.; a billhook.
  3. Somebody armed with a bill; a 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 bills · billing · billed

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

bill⁴

  • /ˈbɪl/
  • [ˈbɪɫ]
  • /ˈbɪʊ̯/
  • [ˈbɪʊ̯]

Sounds like Bill · Rhymes with -ɪl

Where it comes from

Onomatopoeic.

noun bills

  1. The bell, or boom, of the bittern. The bittern's hollow bill was heard.

bill⁵

  • /ˈbɪl/
  • [ˈbɪɫ]
  • /ˈbɪʊ̯/
  • [ˈbɪʊ̯]

Sounds like Bill · Rhymes with -ɪl

Where it comes from

Pronunciation spelling of build.

verb bills · billing · 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 rocks

Bill⁶

  • /bɪl/
  • [bɪɫ]

Rhymes with -ɪl

Where it comes from

Hypocorism of William. It is unclear how the initial W became a B; this could have been part of the medieval trend of swapping letters, similar to Dick for Rick.

proper noun 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."
  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.
  3. A surname.
  4. UK, slang A nickname for the British constabulary. Often called "The Bill" or "Old Bill"

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