Definition of 'bill'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present
tense bills
, present participle billing
, past tense, past participle billed
1. countable noun
A bill is a written statement of money that you owe for goods or services.
They couldn't afford to pay the bills.
He paid his bill for the newspapers promptly. [+ for]
...phone bills.
account
2. verb [no cont]
If you bill someone for goods or services you have provided them with, you give or send them a bill stating
how much money they owe you for these goods or services.
Are you going to bill me for this? [VERB noun + for]
[Also VERB noun]
3. singular noun
The bill in a restaurant is a piece of paper on which the price of the meal you have just eaten is written and which you are given before you pay.
[British]regional note: in AM, use check4. countable noun
A bill is a piece of paper money.
[US] ...a large quantity of U.S. dollar bills.
regional note: in BRIT, use note
5. countable noun [usually singular]
6. singular noun
7. verb [usually passive]
If someone is billed to appear in a particular show, it has been advertised that they are going to be in it.
She was billed to play the Red Queen in Snow White. [be VERB-ed to-infinitive]
8. verb
9. countable noun
A bird's bill is its beak.
10. See also Private Member's Bill
11.
12.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of 'bill'
noun
2.
a written or printed account or statement of money owed
3. mainly British
such an account for food and drink in a restaurant, hotel, etc
. Usual US and Canadian word: check4.
who's on the bill tonight?
5. fit the bill
7.
8. US and Canadian
a piece of paper money; note
9. an obsolete name for promissory note
11. bill of exchange
12. bill of fare
13. archaic
any document
verb (transitive)
14.
to send or present an account for payment to (a person)
15.
to enter (items, goods, etc) on an account or statement
16.
to advertise by posters
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'bill'
noun
1.
2.
any beaklike mouthpart in other animals
verb (intransitive)
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'bill'
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'bill'
noun
ornithology another word for boom1 (sense 4)
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'bill'
noun
3.
4.
the entertainment offered in a theater
5.
a draft of a law proposed to a lawmaking body
6.
a bill of exchange
7.
any promissory note
verb transitive
11.
to make out a bill of (items); list
12.
to present a statement of charges to
15.
to book for shipping
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
adjective
Word origin of 'bill'
noun
1.
the horny jaws of a bird, usually projecting to a point; beak
2.
a beaklike mouth part, as of a turtle
3.
the point of an anchor fluke
verb intransitive
5.
to touch bills together
6.
to caress someone lovingly
now only in the phrase bill and coo, to kiss, talk softly, etc. in a loving wayWebster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin of 'bill'
noun
2.
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
bill in Accounting 1
(bɪl)Word forms: (regular plural) bills
noun
(Accounting: Commerce)
The company could no longer afford to pay their bills.
The group acquires companies and pays the takeover bill by selling the target's assets.
A bill is a request for payment by a seller for goods or services provided.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
bill in Accounting 2
(bɪl)Word forms: (present) bills, (past) billed, (perfect) billed, (progressive) billing
verb
(Accounting: Commerce)
If you bill someone for goods or services, you send them a bill stating how much money they owe you.
Are you going to bill me for this?
The company deliberately billed us for storage of items that have been out of the company's hands for up to three
months.
If you bill someone for goods or services, you send them a bill stating how much money they owe
you.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
bill in Retail 1
(bɪl)Word forms: (regular plural) bills
noun
(Retail: Supplier accounts)
A bill is a request for payment by a seller for goods or services provided.
The company could no longer afford to pay their bills.
If any violation of the shipping instructions causes an increase in shipping charges
paid by the retailer, the resulting increased charge will be deducted from the bill.
A bill is a request for payment by a seller for goods or services provided.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
bill in Retail 2
(bɪl)Word forms: (present) bills, (past) billed, (perfect) billed, (progressive) billing
verb
(Retail: Supplier accounts)
If you bill someone for goods or services, you send them a bill stating how much money they owe you.
Are you going to bill me for this?
The company billed us for storage of items that have been out of the company's hands for three months.
If you bill someone for goods or services, you send them a bill stating how much money they owe
you.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Example sentences containing 'bill'
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.
Read more…
These fluffy sliders with sequin pineapples on them fit the bill perfectly. The Sun (2017)Or lunch where the first person to use their phone pays the whole bill? Times, Sunday Times (2016)But it is not just grocery bills that have been rising. Times, Sunday Times (2017)There are many ways to improve the deals you get on your bills or accounts and it can be hard to prioritise. Times, Sunday Times (2017)Until it appeared on the bill in all its 10 glory. Times, Sunday Times (2016)The fees paid by the loser are substantially reduced and the government bill is expected to be in the low tens of thousands. Times, Sunday Times (2017)Once individual hospitals have worked out whom to charge and how much, the first stage is sending the bill. Times, Sunday Times (2016)I cover the mortgage, bills and food with my wages but have very little left over. The Sun (2016)There are no parents to keep an eye on eating, drinking and paying bills, and many students struggle to make new friends. Times, Sunday Times (2016)There's no way I can afford this bill. The Sun (2016)This would apply to your normal bills and not just if it was lost or stolen. The Sun (2015)Three bank employees plan to steal damaged dollar bills that are supposed to be shredded. The Sun (2011)Details of utility bills began appearing on credit reports last year. Times, Sunday Times (2014)Remind your landlord how you fit the bill and highlight the advantages of keeping you. Times, Sunday Times (2008)They have bills to pay and mouths to feed. Times, Sunday Times (2006)Orange has been sending her bills to my house for years. Times, Sunday Times (2012)The bill would also mean waste being used for animal feed or compost. The Sun (2015)Apple points to a range of practical obstacles to complying with the draft bill. Times, Sunday Times (2015)They huddled under duvets in winter as they could not afford heating bills. The Sun (2009)We are short on money and struggling to pay bills and buy food. The Sun (2011)Thoughts of tax bills or the price of petrol should do the trick. Times, Sunday Times (2008)We dread to think what his drinks expenses bill will be! The Sun (2007)The insurer pays out to cover the cost of mortgage payments and other bills after a diagnosis. Times, Sunday Times (2010)How will this affect the company accounts and tax bill? Times, Sunday Times (2014)Or are you looking at a large refund bill? Times, Sunday Times (2014)It would be able to use this to reduce future bills. Times, Sunday Times (2012)He puts a twenty dollar bill on the table. Christianity Today (2000)Charges will appear on your bill as they would while roaming. The Sun (2015)It is possible to save hundreds of pounds on your annual food bills with just a few changes. Times, Sunday Times (2010)Our manager apologised unreservedly to the family at the time and also waived the meal bill as a gesture of goodwill. Times, Sunday Times (2015)We need more transparency and scrutiny of all parts of the bill, including network charges. Times, Sunday Times (2014)So after a long haul, the bill should become law by this time next year. Times, Sunday Times (2007)I pieced the whole bill together and it showed she owes a lot of money. The Sun (2011)
Word Lists
Trends of 'bill'
Very Common. bill is one of the 4000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary
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Translations for 'bill'
British English: bill
/bɪl/ NOUN
account A bill is a written statement of money that you owe for goods or services.
He paid his bill for the newspapers.
- American English: bill account
- Arabic: فاتُورَة
- Brazilian Portuguese: conta
- Chinese: 帐单
- Croatian: račun
- Czech: účet k zaplacení
- Danish: regning
- Dutch: rekening factuur
- European Spanish: cuenta factura
- Finnish: lasku maksettava
- French: note addition
- German: Rechnung
- Greek: λογαριασμός
- Italian: conto
- Japanese: 請求書
- Korean: 계산서
- Norwegian: regning
- Polish: rachunek
- European Portuguese: conta
- Romanian: factură
- Russian: счет финансовый документ
- Spanish: cuenta factura
- Swedish: räkning
- Thai: ใบแจ้งหนี้
- Turkish: hesap
- Ukrainian: рахунок
- Vietnamese: hóa đơn
British English: bill
/bɪl/ NOUN
in parliament In parliament, a bill is a formal statement of a proposed new law that is discussed and then voted on.
...the toughest crime bill that has been passed in a decade.
- American English: bill legislation
- Arabic: مَشْرُوع قانون
- Brazilian Portuguese: projeto de lei
- Chinese: 议案
- Croatian: prijedlog zakona
- Czech: návrh zákona
- Danish: lovforslag
- Dutch: wetsontwerp
- European Spanish: proyecto de ley
- Finnish: lakiesitys
- French: projet de loi
- German: Gesetzentwurf
- Greek: νομοσχέδιο
- Italian: progetto di legge
- Japanese: 法案 legislation
- Korean: 법안
- Norwegian: lovforslag
- Polish: projekt ustawy
- European Portuguese: projeto de lei
- Romanian: proiect de lege
- Russian: законопроект
- Spanish: proyecto de ley
- Swedish: proposition
- Thai: ร่างกฎหมาย
- Turkish: yasa
- Ukrainian: законопроект
- Vietnamese: dự luật
British English: bill VERB
If you bill someone for goods or services you have provided them with, you give or send them a bill stating how much money they owe you for these goods or services.
Are you going to bill me for this?
Nearby words of 'bill'
Source
Definition of bill from the
Collins English Dictionary
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