fill
/fɪl/ (bre, ipa) · /fɪl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfil/ (ame, mw)
fill — verb
- fillpresent simple I / you / we / they
- fillshe / she / it
- filledpast simple
- filling-ing form
1. to take up space in a container, room, or area until little or no space remains;
to take up space in a container, room, or area until little or no space remains; also used for smells, sounds, or light that spread throughout a place.
The old bathtub slowly filled with hot water while Noa read her book.
intransitive: fill with [substance]
Vikram filled the car's petrol tank before the long drive north.
transitive: fill + container
The concert hall filled shortly after the doors opened at seven.
The smell of fresh bread filled the kitchen every morning.
Yumi filled a large bowl with salad for the family dinner.
- empty
to remove all the contents from a container or space
文法句型
fill + container/space + with + substance
container/space + fill + with + substance
用法筆記
Can be used transitively (you fill something) or intransitively (something fills). The preposition 'with' introduces the substance doing the filling.
常見錯誤
2. to close an opening or make a surface level by pushing a material into a hole, c
to close an opening or make a surface level by pushing a material into a hole, crack, or gap.
The workers filled the cracks in the wall with a special paste.
fill + hole + with + substance
Before painting, Ife filled the small holes in the plasterboard.
The gardener filled the hole in the lawn with fresh soil and grass seeds.
Tuan filled the gaps around the window frame with sealant to stop the draught.
文法句型
fill + hole/crack/gap + with + substance
用法筆記
The object is the hole, crack, or gap — not the material being put in. To say what substance is used, add 'with + [material]'.
常見錯誤
3. to give people a thing they lack or have requested — for example, preparing medi
to give people a thing they lack or have requested — for example, preparing medicine for a patient with a note from a doctor, or sending goods that a customer bought online.
The pharmacist filled Christopher's prescription within twenty minutes.
fill + [a prescription]
Lien's online store fills orders within two business days.
fill + [an order]
The new community centre helped fill a gap in services for elderly residents.
Kabir filled the need for a Mandarin tutor at the local school.
文法句型
fill + order/prescription/need/gap
用法筆記
Common object nouns include 'prescription', 'order', 'need', and 'gap'. This sense is common in retail, healthcare, and service contexts.
常見錯誤
4. to treat a decayed tooth by placing a special material into the damaged area to
to treat a decayed tooth by placing a special material into the damaged area to stop the decay from spreading.
The dentist filled two cavities in Élise's back teeth last Tuesday.
fill + [a] cavity
Mia needed to get her front tooth filled before the wedding.
The clinic can fill a small cavity in about thirty minutes.
Eli's dentist filled the hole and said it should last for several years.
文法句型
fill + tooth/cavity
用法筆記
Only used for teeth. The substance used is called a 'filling' (noun). 'Fill a tooth' and 'fill a cavity' are both common.
5. to cause someone to experience a strong emotion, such as joy, pride, fear, or sa
to cause someone to experience a strong emotion, such as joy, pride, fear, or sadness.
The news of her promotion filled Isabela with joy and excitement.
fill + person + with + emotion
Watching the sunset over the ocean filled Vikram with a deep sense of peace.
The teacher's encouraging words filled the nervous student with confidence.
The sad ending of the film filled Aylin with a feeling of loneliness.
文法句型
fill + person + with + emotion_noun
用法筆記
Commonly used with emotions like 'joy', 'pride', 'anger', 'fear', 'sadness', 'hope', and 'confidence'. Often found in the passive: 'be filled with [emotion]'.
常見錯誤
6. to take on a job or role, or to choose someone to do a particular job.
to take on a job or role, or to choose someone to do a particular job.
Dr. Chen has filled the position of head physician at the city hospital.
fill + [a] position / role
The company needs to fill three new jobs in the engineering department.
fill + [a] job
Yumi filled the post of marketing director after the previous one retired.
The school board is looking for someone to fill the principal's role.
- vacate
to leave a position or role empty
文法句型
fill + position/role/post + with/for + person
用法筆記
Formal register — used in business, government, and institutional contexts. The object is the position, not the person. 'Fill a vacancy' also fits this sense.
常見錯誤
7. to eat or drink enough so that you no longer feel hungry or thirsty.
to eat or drink enough so that you no longer feel hungry or thirsty.
The children filled themselves with pizza and cake at the party.
reflexive: fill oneself with [food]
A bowl of hot soup was enough to fill Théo after his long walk.
The huge meal filled the guests so much that nobody wanted dessert.
We filled our stomachs with rice and vegetables before the long hike.
文法句型
fill + oneself + with + food
fill + person
用法筆記
Often used with a reflexive pronoun ('fill yourself') or with 'stomach' as the object. Less formal than 'satisfy one's appetite'.
fill — noun
1. as much of something — especially food, drink, or an experience — as someone wan
as much of something — especially food, drink, or an experience — as someone wants or can handle.
After two plates of pasta, Erik had eaten his fill and stopped.
one's fill (possessive)
The children played in the park until they had their fill of fun.
Yasmin had had her fill of rude customers and decided to quit.
The audience had their fill of drama by the end of the long performance.
- enough
more general; not limited to consumption or experience
- sufficiency
more formal; a formal term for an adequate amount
用法筆記
Almost always used in the possessive pattern 'one's fill' ('my fill', 'her fill', 'their fill'). The thing being consumed follows 'of'.
常見錯誤
2. any substance or material used to occupy a space, cavity, or gap — for example,
any substance or material used to occupy a space, cavity, or gap — for example, soil used to level ground or stuffing inside a cushion.
The builders used sand as fill to level the ground before laying the floor.
fill as uncountable substance
The cushion's fill was made of soft feathers and synthetic fibres.
Trucks brought loads of gravel fill for the new road project.
The old pillows had lost their fill and become flat and lumpy.
用法筆記
Uncountable noun. Refers to the material itself, not the action of filling. Common in construction ('gravel fill', 'dirt fill') and manufacturing ('cushion fill').