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Bill Very Common

Bill has 21 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

a statute in draft before it becomes law

"they held a public hearing on the bill"

2

an itemized statement of money owed for goods shipped or services rendered

"he paid his bill and left"

"send me an account of what I owe"

3

a piece of paper money (especially one issued by a central bank)

"he peeled off five one-thousand-zloty notes"

4

the entertainment offered at a public presentation

"The comedy show was so hilarious that it made up for the lack of food in our late-night bill."

5

an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution

"he mailed the circular to all subscribers"

6

a sign posted in a public place as an advertisement

"a poster advertised the coming attractions"

7

a list of particulars (as a playbill or bill of fare)

"The waiter handed us the menu, which was actually just an old-fashioned piece of paper called a bill of fare."

8

a cutting tool with a sharp edge

"he used a bill to prune branches off of the tree"

9

a brim that projects to the front to shade the eyes

"he pulled down the bill of his cap and trudged ahead"

10

horny projecting mouth of a bird

"The heron stood perfectly still, waiting for its prey near the water's edge where its long bill could easily snatch a fish."

11

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.

"The heron froze as it heard the distinctive bill of a bittern echoing through the reeds."

12

The beak of a bird, especially when small or flattish; sometimes also used with reference to a platypus, turtle, or other animal.

13

A written list or inventory. (Now obsolete except in specific senses or set phrases; bill of lading, bill of goods, etc.)

14

The bell, or boom, of the bittern.

In plain English: A bill is a piece of paper that lists how much money you owe for something you bought.

"I left my bill on the table before leaving the restaurant."

Usage: In everyday usage, a bill refers to an invoice or a statement of charges for goods or services. Do not use this term when describing the call of a bird, as that specific meaning belongs to other words like bellow or cry.

Verb
1

demand payment

"Will I get charged for this service?"

"We were billed for 4 nights in the hotel, although we stayed only 3 nights"

2

advertise especially by posters or placards

"He was billed as the greatest tenor since Caruso"

3

publicize or announce by placards

"The activist decided to bill the mayor's office for its corruption, plastering large signs on every street corner in the city center."

4

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

"The town council decided to bill the entire neighborhood about the upcoming roadwork schedule on every available bulletin board."

5

to peck

6

To advertise by a bill or public notice.

In plain English: To bill someone means to send them an invoice asking for payment.

"The town hall will bill the new regulations throughout the community next week."

Usage: Do not use "to bill" to mean advertising with a poster; instead, it specifically means to charge someone an amount of money for goods or services. You would say the restaurant billed the customer for dinner, not that they advertised the menu with a bill.

Proper Noun
1

A diminutive of the male given name William.

"His uncle named his newborn grandson Bill, and everyone in the family calls him that now."

Example Sentences
"I left my bill on the table before leaving the restaurant." noun
"The town hall will bill the new regulations throughout the community next week." verb
"The restaurant will bill you for your dinner next week." verb
See Also
dollar payment money paper duck invoice restaurant beak
Related Terms
dollar payment money paper duck invoice restaurant beak check name due mouth charge tax clinton william monthly paper money receipt wallet
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
legal document statement paper money program ad sign list hand tool brim mouth account advertise post
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
appropriation bill bill of attainder bottle bill farm bill trade bill electric bill hotel bill medical bill phone bill reckoning tax bill check silver certificate hundred dollar bill fifty dollar bill twenty dollar bill tenner fiver two dollar bill dollar stuffer show bill flash card bill of entry bill of goods menu playbill cere levy tithe assess undercharge surcharge invoice

Origin

The word "bill" comes from the Old French word bulle, which originally meant a seal or a sealed document. It is related to the word "bull," which also derives from the same Latin root.

Rhyming Words
ill kill cill vill will fill till lill sill pill gill yill nill rill dill zill mill hill jill chill
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