bill
bill — noun
- billsingular
- billsplural
1. a paper or digital notice showing the money you owe after buying something or re
a paper or digital notice showing the money you owe after buying something or receiving work
The repair bill arrived by email before Sahil left the garage.
service bill sent to a customer
Nia checked the hotel bill and questioned a charge for breakfast.
After lunch, Paul asked the waiter for the bill right away.
The hospital bill shocked Christopher's family after the emergency operation.
- hospital bill
- hotel bill
- repair bill
- pay the bill
- invoice
more formal, especially in business settings
Grammar Patterns
pay a bill
ask for the bill
bill for + service
Usage Note
Common for both paper and electronic requests for payment. In restaurants, ask for the bill when you want to pay before leaving.
2. the cost that someone has to pay in a particular situation, especially in fixed
the cost that someone has to pay in a particular situation, especially in fixed phrases
William footed the bill when the team missed its travel refund.
phrase: foot the bill
Their company picked up the bill for the drivers' late dinner.
Emily refused to pay the bill for damage she did not cause.
After the storm, local taxes covered the bill for road repairs.
- foot the bill
- pick up the bill
- cover the bill
- cost
broader and more general than this fixed-phrase use
Grammar Patterns
foot the bill
pick up the bill
cover the bill
Usage Note
Usually appears in expressions such as foot the bill or pick up the bill, rather than as a plain count noun.
3. a written proposal for a law that lawmakers discuss and vote on
a written proposal for a law that lawmakers discuss and vote on
Lawmakers delayed the housing bill after new cost figures appeared.
government bill under debate
Jessica read the climate bill before speaking at the town meeting.
The education bill passed the lower house by three votes.
Reporters waited outside parliament as ministers rewrote the security bill.
- pass a bill
- draft bill
- tax bill
- security bill
- measure
common in political reporting for a proposed law
Grammar Patterns
introduce a bill
debate a bill
pass a bill
4. a paper note used as money
a paper note used as money
Ryo handed the driver a twenty-dollar bill and kept the coins.
paper money amount: a twenty-dollar bill
A damp five-pound bill stuck to the bottom of Anna's bag.
The cashier held each bill up to the light.
Mark found a phone number folded inside the bill.
- ten-dollar bill
- folded bill
- count bills
- note
more common in British English for paper money
Grammar Patterns
a ten-dollar bill
fold a bill
count bills
Usage Note
Especially common in American English for paper money of a stated value.
5. a printed sheet that advertises a public event or shows what will be performed
a printed sheet that advertises a public event or shows what will be performed
A bright bill for the puppet show covered the library window.
bill as an event poster
Stefan kept the opera bill as a souvenir from Vienna.
Volunteers posted a bill for the charity fair near the station.
The theatre's bill listed two comedies and a short concert.
- theatre bill
- print a bill
- post a bill
- poster
the usual modern word for a public advertising sheet
Grammar Patterns
post a bill
print a bill
theatre bill
Usage Note
Often sounds old-fashioned outside theatre or historical contexts. Modern everyday English more often uses poster or program.
6. the list of performers or acts announced for a show, or a place on that list
the list of performers or acts announced for a show, or a place on that list
Two student choirs were added to the bill after noon.
phrase: added to the bill
Noa saw her cousin's band low on the festival bill.
The club changed the bill when the drummer fell ill.
A local poet appeared on the bill before the main group.
- on the bill
- festival bill
- change the bill
Grammar Patterns
on the bill
add to the bill
festival bill
Usage Note
Most often appears in phrases such as on the bill or added to the bill.
7. the highest place on a show's list of performers, showing who the main act is
the highest place on a show's list of performers, showing who the main act is
Felipe took top bill at the summer jazz festival.
phrase: take top bill
Her name was first on the bill for the holiday concert.
The duo moved to top bill after their song hit radio.
The comedian shared top bill with a veteran actor.
- top bill
- share top bill
- take top bill
Grammar Patterns
top bill
take top bill
share top bill
Usage Note
Common in phrases such as top bill, take top bill, and share top bill.
8. the hard mouth part at the front of a bird's face
the hard mouth part at the front of a bird's face
The gull tapped its bill against the glass by the pier.
bird using its bill
Yuki watched the duck lift weeds from the pond with its bill.
The parrot cracked a seed shell open with its bill.
Mud clung to the heron's bill after the bird landed.
- duck bill
- tap with its bill
- long bill
- beak
the more usual everyday word
Grammar Patterns
tap with its bill
open with its bill
9. the stiff piece above the eyes on a cap, also called a visor
the stiff piece above the eyes on a cap, also called a visor
Sunlight slipped under Mateo's bill as he looked west.
bill of a cap
Otis bent the bill of his cap to block the rain.
Dust gathered on the bill after the hat hung all winter.
Léa stitched a team patch onto the bill of the cap.
- bill of a cap
- bend the bill
- curved bill
Grammar Patterns
bend the bill
bill of a cap
Usage Note
Especially common in American English for the front projecting part of a cap.
10. the police, especially when people speak in an informal British way
the police, especially when people speak in an informal British way
The boys ran when they saw the bill at the alley entrance.
British informal: the bill
Locals said the bill had already sealed off the bridge.
The pub owner called the bill after a fight near closing time.
Liam spent the night answering questions from the bill.
- call the bill
- the bill arrived
- police
neutral everyday word without the informal British tone
Grammar Patterns
call the bill
the bill arrived
Usage Note
A British informal term. It sounds dated or regional in some contexts and is rare in American English.
bill — verb
- billpresent simple I / you / we / they
- bills3rd person singular
- billing-ing form
- billedpast simple
1. to send someone a notice asking them to pay, or to record what they owe
to send someone a notice asking them to pay, or to record what they owe
The clinic billed Sophia for two extra tests by mistake.
bill someone for + item
Our host billed the magazine after the photo shoot ended.
The garage billed Jenna separately for parts and labour.
A software bug billed customers twice for the same order.
- bill a client
- bill separately
- bill someone for repairs
- charge
broader and more common outside formal billing contexts
Grammar Patterns
bill someone for something
bill a client
bill separately
Usage Note
Often appears with for to name the goods or services being charged.
2. to present something or someone to the public using a chosen description to attr
to present something or someone to the public using a chosen description to attract attention
Posters billed the new singer as the voice of summer.
bill someone as + description
The museum billed the workshop as beginner-friendly for families.
Local news billed the rescue dog as a small-town hero.
The company billed its tablet as faster than a laptop.
- bill as a hero
- bill as family-friendly
- bill as the next star
- market
broader business verb for promoting a product
Grammar Patterns
bill something as ...
bill someone as ...
Usage Note
Usually followed by as plus the image, role, or quality being promoted.
3. to put a performer or event on a program or advertisement for a show
to put a performer or event on a program or advertisement for a show
The theatre billed three folk groups for Saturday night.
bill performers for an event
Promoters billed Elena after the headline comic canceled.
The festival first billed a quartet, then added a DJ.
The club billed one poet between the two bands.
- bill a singer
- bill with another act
- bill for Saturday night
Grammar Patterns
bill a performer for a show
bill with another act
Usage Note
Used in entertainment contexts for formally listing acts on publicity material or a running order.
Common collocations
Nouns
- hospital bill
- climate bill
- ten-dollar bill
- festival bill
Phrases
- foot the bill
- pick up the bill
- on the bill
- top bill
- bill someone for
- bill someone as
Etymology
First known use
12th century
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb (1)