Adjacent Words

Bill definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BILL, n.
1. The beak of a fowl.
2. An instrument used by plumbers, basket makers and gardeners, made in the form of a crescent, and fitted with a handle. When short, it is called a hand-bill; when long, a hedge-bill. It is used for pruning trees, etc.
BILL, n.
A pick-ax, or mattock; a battle-ax; an ax or hatchet with a crooked point.
BILL, n.
1. In law, a declaration in writing, expressing some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant, or a fault committed by some person against a law. It contains the fact complained of, the damage sustained, and a petition or process against the defendant for redress. It is used both in civil and criminal cases.
In Scots law, every summary application in writing, by way of petition to the court of session, is called a bill.
2. In law and in commerce, in England, an obligation or security given for money under the hand, and sometimes the seal of the debtor, without a condition or forfeiture for non-payment. In the latter circumstance, it differs from a bond. In the United States, this species of security is usually called a note, a note of hand, or a promissory note.
3. A form or draft of a law, presented to a legislature, but not enacted. In some cases, statutes are called bills; but usually they are qualified by some description, as a bill of attainder.
4. A paper written or printed, and posted in some public place, advertising the proposed sale of goods, or particular things; an advertisement posted.
5. An account of goods sold or delivered, services rendered or work done, with the price or value annexed to each article.
6. Any written paper, containing a statement of particulars; as a bill of charges or expenditures; a physician's bill of prescriptions; a bill of fare or provisions, etc.
7. A bill of exchange is an order drawn on a person, in a distant place, requesting or directing him to pay money to some person assigned by the drawer, or to his order, in consideration of the same sum received by the drawer. Bills of exchange are either foreign or inland; foreign, when drawn by a person in one country upon one residing in another; inland, when both the drawer and drawee reside in the same country. The person who draws the bill is called the drawer; the person on whom the request or demand is made, is called the drawee; and the person to whom the money is directed to be paid, is called the payee.
8. A bill of entry is a written account of goods entered at the customhouse, whether imported or intended for exportation.
9. A bill of lading is a written account of goods shipped by any person, on board of a vessel, signed by the master of the vessel, who acknowledges the receipt of the goods,and promises to deliver them safe at the place directed, dangers of the sea excepted. It is usual for the master to sign two, three or four copies of the bill; one of which he keeps in possession, one is kept by the shipper, and one is sent to the consignee of the goods.
10. A bill of parcels is an account given by the seller to the buyer, of the several articles purchased, with the price of each.
11. A bill of sale is when a person borrows money and delivers goods to the lender as security, and at the same time, gives him a bill, empowering him to sell the goods, if the money is not repaid at the appointed time with interest.
In the United States, a bill of sale is a writing given by the seller of personal property to the purchaser, answering to a deed of real estate, but without seal.
12. A bill of mortality is an account of the number of deaths in a place, in a given time. In these bills it is not unusual to insert registers of births and christenings, as in London.
13. Bank-bill. [See Bank.]
14. A bill of rights is a summary of rights and privileges, claimed by a people. Such was the declaration presented by the lords and commons of England to the prince and princess of Orange in 1688. In America, a bill or declaration or rights is prefixed to most of the constitutions of the several states.
15. A bill of divorce, in the Jewish law, was a writing given by the husband to the wife, by which the marriage relation was dissolved.
16. [See Indictment.]
BILL, v.i. [from bill, a beak.] To join bills, as doves; to caress in fondness.
BILL, v.t. [from bill, a writing.] To advertise by a bill or public notice; a cant word.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a statute in draft before it becomes law; "they held a public hearing on the bill" [syn: bill, measure]
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" [syn: bill, account, invoice]
3: a piece of paper money (especially one issued by a central bank); "he peeled off five one-thousand-zloty notes" [syn: bill, note, government note, bank bill, banker's bill, bank note, banknote, Federal Reserve note, greenback]
4: the entertainment offered at a public presentation
5: an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution; "he mailed the circular to all subscribers" [syn: circular, handbill, bill, broadside, broadsheet, flier, flyer, throwaway]
6: a sign posted in a public place as an advertisement; "a poster advertised the coming attractions" [syn: poster, posting, placard, notice, bill, card]
7: a list of particulars (as a playbill or bill of fare)
8: a long-handled saw with a curved blade; "he used a bill to prune branches off of the tree" [syn: bill, billhook]
9: a brim that projects to the front to shade the eyes; "he pulled down the bill of his cap and trudged ahead" [syn: bill, peak, eyeshade, visor, vizor]
10: horny projecting mouth of a bird [syn: beak, bill, neb, nib, pecker] v
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" [syn: charge, bill]
2: advertise especially by posters or placards; "He was billed as the greatest tenor since Caruso"
3: publicize or announce by placards [syn: placard, bill]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English bile, from Old English; akin to Old English bill Date: before 12th century 1. the jaws of a bird together with their horny covering 2. a mouthpart (as the beak of a turtle) that resembles a bird's bill 3. the point of an anchor fluke — see anchor illustration 4. the visor of a cap or hood II. intransitive verb Date: 1584 1. to touch and rub bill to bill 2. to caress affectionately <billing and cooing> III. noun Etymology: Middle English bil, from Old English bill sword; akin to Old High German bill pickax Date: 14th century 1. a weapon in use up to the 18th century that consists of a long staff ending in a hook-shaped blade 2. billhook IV. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French bille, from Medieval Latin billa, perhaps alteration of bulla, papal seal, bull — more at bull Date: 14th century 1. an itemized list or a statement of particulars (as a list of materials or of members of a ship's crew) 2. a written document or note 3. obsolete a formal petition 4. a. an itemized account of the separate cost of goods sold, services performed, or work done ; invoice b. an amount expended or owed c. a statement of charges for food or drink ; check 5. a. a written or printed advertisement posted or otherwise distributed to announce an event of interest to the public; especially an announcement of a theatrical entertainment b. a programmed presentation (as a motion picture, play, or concert) 6. a draft of a law presented to a legislature for enactment; also the law itself <the GI bill> 7. a declaration in writing stating a wrong a complainant has suffered from a defendant or stating a breach of law by some person <a bill of complaint> 8. a. a piece of paper money b. an individual or commercial note <bills receivable> c. slang one hundred dollars V. transitive verb Date: 14th century 1. a. to enter in an accounting system ; prepare a bill of (charges) b. to submit a bill of charges to c. to enter (as freight) in a waybill d. to issue a bill of lading to or for 2. to announce (as a performance) especially by posters or placards 3. advertise, promote <the book is billed as a “report” — P. G. Altbach> • billable adjective

U.S. Military Dictionary

A ship's publication listing operational or administrative procedures. (JP 3-04)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. & v. --n. 1 a a printed or written statement of charges for goods supplied or services rendered. b the amount owed (ran up a bill of £300). 2 a draft of a proposed law. 3 a a poster; a placard. b = HANDBILL. 4 a a printed list, esp. a theatre programme. b the entertainment itself (top of the bill). 5 US a banknote (ten dollar bill). --v.tr. 1 put in the programme; announce. 2 (foll. by as) advertise. 3 send a note of charges to (billed him for the books). Phrases and idioms: bill of exchange Econ. a written order to pay a sum of money on a given date to the drawer or to a named payee. bill of fare 1 a menu. 2 a programme (for a theatrical event). bill of health 1 Naut. a certificate regarding infectious disease on a ship or in a port at the time of sailing. 2 (clean bill of health) a such a certificate stating that there is no disease. b a declaration that a person or thing examined has been found to be free of illness or in good condition. bill of indictment hist. or US a written accusation as presented to a grand jury. bill of lading Naut. 1 a shipmaster's detailed list of the ship's cargo. 2 US = WAYBILL. Bill of Rights 1 Law the English constitutional settlement of 1689. 2 Law (in the US) the constitutional amendments of 1791. 3 a statement of the rights of a class of people. bill of sale Econ. a certificate of transfer of personal property, esp. as a security against debt. Derivatives: billable adj. Etymology: ME f. AF bille, AL billa, prob. alt. of med.L bulla seal, sealed documents, BULL(2) 2. n. & v. --n. 1 the beak of a bird, esp. when it is slender, flattened, or weak, or belongs to a web-footed bird or a bird of the pigeon family. 2 the muzzle of a platypus. 3 a narrow promontory. 4 the point of an anchor-fluke. --v.intr. (of doves etc.) stroke a bill with a bill. Phrases and idioms: bill and coo exchange caresses. Derivatives: billed adj. (usu. in comb.). Etymology: OE bile, of unkn. orig. 3. n. 1 hist. a weapon like a halberd with a hook instead of a blade. 2 = BILLHOOK. Etymology: OE bil, ult. f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ripper act Rip"per act or bill bill An act or a bill conferring upon a chief executive, as a governor or mayor, large powers of appointment and removal of heads of departments or other subordinate officials. [Polit. Cant, U. S.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bill Bill, v. t. To work upon ( as to dig, hoe, hack, or chop anything) with a bill.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bill Bill, n. [OE. bill, bille, fr. LL. billa (or OF. bille), for L. bulla anything rounded, LL., seal, stamp, letter, edict, roll; cf. F. bille a ball, prob. fr. Ger.; cf. MHG. bickel, D. bikkel, dice. Cf. Bull papal edict, Billet a paper.] 1. (Law) 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. 2. A writing binding 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. [Eng.] Note: In the United States, it is usually called a note, a note of hand, or a promissory note. 3. A form or draft of a law, presented to a legislature for enactment; a proposed or projected law. 4. A paper, written or printed, and posted up or given away, to advertise something, as a lecture, a play, or the sale of goods; a placard; a poster; a handbill. She put up the bill in her parlor window. --Dickens. 5. An account of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, with the price or charge; a statement of a creditor's claim, in gross or by items; as, a grocer's bill. 6. Any paper, containing a statement of particulars; as, a bill of charges or expenditures; a weekly bill of mortality; a bill of fare, etc. Bill of adventure. See under Adventure. Bill of costs, a statement of the items which form the total amount of the costs of a party to a suit or action. Bill of credit. (a) Within the constitution of the United States, a paper issued by a State, on the mere faith and credit of the State, and designed to circulate as money. No State shall ``emit bills of credit.'' --U. S. Const. --Peters. --Wharton. --Bouvier (b) Among merchants, a letter sent by an agent or other person to a merchant, desiring him to give credit to the bearer for goods or money. Bill of divorce, in the Jewish law, a writing given by the husband to the wife, by which the marriage relation was dissolved. --Jer. iii. 8. Bill of entry, a written account of goods entered at the customhouse, whether imported or intended for exportation. Bill of exceptions. See under Exception. Bill of exchange (Com.), a written order or request from one person or house to another, desiring the latter to pay to some person designated a certain sum of money therein generally is, and, to be negotiable, must be, made payable to order or to bearer. So also the order generally expresses a specified time of payment, and that it is drawn for value. The person who draws the bill is called the drawer, the person on whom it is drawn is, before acceptance, called the drawee, -- after acceptance, the acceptor; the person to whom the money is directed to be paid is called the payee. The person making the order may himself be the payee. The bill itself is frequently called a draft. See Exchange. --Chitty. Bill of fare, a written or printed enumeration of the dishes served at a public table, or of the dishes (with prices annexed) which may be ordered at a restaurant, etc. Bill of health, a certificate from the proper authorities as to the state of health of a ship's company at the time of her leaving port. Bill of indictment, a written accusation lawfully presented to a grand jury. If the jury consider the evidence sufficient to support the accusation, they indorse it ``A true bill,'' otherwise they write upon it ``Not a true bill,'' or ``Not found,'' or ``Ignoramus'', or ``Ignored.'' Bill of lading, a written account of goods shipped by any person, signed by the agent of the owner of the vessel, or by its master, acknowledging the receipt of the goods, and promising to deliver them safe at the place directed, dangers of the sea excepted. It is usual for the master to sign two, three, or four copies of the bill; one of which he keeps in possession, one is kept by the shipper, and one is sent to the consignee of the goods. Bill of mortality, an official statement of the number of deaths in a place or district within a given time; also, a district required to be covered by such statement; as, a place within the bills of mortality of London. Bill of pains and penalties, a special act of a legislature which inflicts a punishment less than death upon persons supposed to be guilty of treason or felony, without any conviction in the ordinary course of judicial proceedings. --Bouvier. --Wharton. Bill of parcels, an account given by the seller to the buyer of the several articles purchased, with the price of each. Bill of particulars (Law), a detailed statement of the items of a plaintiff's demand in an action, or of the defendant's set-off. Bill of rights, a summary of rights and privileges claimed by a people. Such was the declaration presented by the Lords and Commons of England to the Prince and Princess of Orange in 1688, and enacted in Parliament after they became king and queen. In America, a bill or declaration of rights is prefixed to most of the constitutions of the several States. Bill of sale, a formal instrument for the conveyance or transfer of goods and chattels. Bill of sight, a form of entry at the customhouse, by which goods, respecting which the importer is not possessed of full information, may be provisionally landed for examination. Bill of store, a license granted at the customhouse to merchants, to carry such stores and provisions as are necessary for a voyage, custom free. --Wharton. Bills payable (pl.), the outstanding unpaid notes or acceptances made and issued by an individual or firm. Bills receivable (pl.), the unpaid promissory notes or acceptances held by an individual or firm. --McElrath. A true bill, a bill of indictment sanctioned by a grand jury.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bill Bill, n. [OE. bile, bille, AS. bile beak of a bird, proboscis; cf. Ir. & Gael. bil, bile, mouth, lip, bird's bill. Cf. Bill a weapon.] A beak, as of a bird, or sometimes of a turtle or other animal. --Milton.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bill Bill, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Billed; p. pr. & vb. n. Billing.] 1. To strike; to peck. [Obs.] 2. To join bills, as doves; to caress in fondness. ``As pigeons bill.'' --Shak. To bill and coo, to interchange caresses; -- said of doves; also of demonstrative lovers. --Thackeray.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bill Bill, n. The bell, or boom, of the bittern The bittern's hollow bill was heard. --Wordsworth.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bill Bill, n. [OE. bil, AS. bill, bil; akin to OS. bil sword, OHG. bill pickax, G. bille. Cf. Bill bea?.] 1. A cutting instrument, with hook-shaped point, and fitted with a handle; -- used in pruning, etc.; a billhook. When short, called a hand bill, when long, a hedge bill. 2. A weapon of infantry, in the 14th and 15th centuries. A common form of bill consisted of a broad, heavy, double-edged, hook-shaped blade, having a short pike at the back and another at the top, and attached to the end of a long staff. France had no infantry that dared to face the English bows end bills. --Macaulay. 3. One who wields a bill; a billman. --Strype. 4. A pickax, or mattock. [Obs.] 5. (Naut.) The extremity of the arm of an anchor; the point of or beyond the fluke.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Bill Bill, v. t. 1. To advertise by a bill or public notice. 2. To charge or enter in a bill; as, to bill goods.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(bills, billing, billed) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. 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. ...phone bills. N-COUNT 2. 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: no cont, V n for n, also V n 3. 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. (BRIT; in AM, use check) N-SING: the N 4. A bill is a piece of paper money. (AM; in BRIT, use note) ...a large quantity of US dollar bills. N-COUNT: usu supp N 5. In government, a bill is a formal statement of a proposed new law that is discussed and then voted on. This is the toughest crime bill that Congress has passed in a decade... The bill was approved by a large majority. N-COUNT: usu sing, usu with supp 6. The bill of a show or concert is a list of the entertainers who will take part in it. N-SING 7. 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. VERB: usu passive, be V-ed to-inf • billing ...their quarrels over star billing. N-UNCOUNT: usu with supp 8. If you bill a person or event as a particular thing, you advertise them in a way that makes people think they have particular qualities or abilities. They bill it as Britain's most exciting museum. VERB: V n as n 9. A bird's bill is its beak. N-COUNT 10. see also Private Member's Bill 11. If you say that someone or something fits the bill or fills the bill, you mean that they are suitable for a particular job or purpose. If you fit the bill, send a CV to Rebecca Rees. PHRASE: V inflects 12. If you have to foot the bill for something, you have to pay for it. Who is footing the bill for her extravagant holiday? PHRASE: V inflects

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Beak, mandible, neb. 2. Bill-hook, hedge-bill, hedging-knife, brush-cutter. 3. Account, charges, reckoning, score. 4. Statement of particulars. 5. Draft of a law, projected law. 6. Note, note of hand, promissory note, evidence of debt, I. O. U. 7. Placard, poster, broadside, advertisement. II. v. n. Kiss, caress, fondle, toy, exchange kisses and caresses.

Moby Thesaurus

CD, Federal Reserve note, IOU, MO, acceptance, acceptance bill, account, accounts payable, accounts receivable, act, advertise, affiche, affidavit, agenda, allegation, allowance, amount due, antlia, assessment, assignat, bad debts, ballyhoo, bank acceptance, bank check, bank note, banknote, bark, batting order, be a gas, be a hit, beak, beezer, benefit, bill of account, bill of complaint, bill of draft, bill of exchange, bill of fare, bill of lading, bills, blackmail, blank check, blood money, blueprint, bomb, bone, book, books, boost, borrowing, breakwater, buck, budget, bugle, build up, bulletin, bylaw, calendar, call, call in, canon, cape, card, carte, carte du jour, certificate, certificate of deposit, certified check, charge, charges, check, checkbook, cheque, chersonese, chits, circularize, claim, clause, commercial paper, companion bills amendment, complaint, conk, coral reef, cry up, damage, debenture, debt, debut, declaration, decree, delta, demand bill, demand draft, demand payment, deposition, dictate, dictation, docket, dollar bill, draft, dragnet clause, dramatize, due, due bill, dues, dun, edict, emolument, enacting clause, enactment, entertainment, escalator clause, establish, exchequer bill, exhibit, exhibition, fail, farewell performance, feature, fee, fiat money, financial commitment, fish, flesh show, floating debt, flop, folding money, footing, foreland, form, formality, formula, formulary, fractional note, frogskin, funded debt, give a write-up, give publicity, government note, handbill, head, headland, headline, hold-up bill, hook, hush money, indebtedness, indebtment, initiation fee, institution, invoice, iron man, itemized bill, jaws, joker, jus, law, ledger, legal-tender note, legislation, letter of credit, lex, liability, libel, line up, lineup, list of agenda, make a hit, manifest, maturity, measure, melodramatize, menu, mileage, money order, motion, mount, muffle, mull, muzzle, nares, narratio, national bank note, national debt, naze, neb, negotiable instrument, negotiable note, ness, nib, nolle prosequi, nonsuit, nose, nostrils, note, note of hand, nozzle, obligation, olfactory organ, omnibus bill, open, open a show, ordinance, ordonnance, outstanding debt, paper, paper money, peak, pecker, peninsula, performance, placard, playbill, pledge, plug, point, post, post bills, post up, postal order, premiere, prescript, prescription, present, presentation, presentment, press-agent, preview, privileged question, proboscis, produce, production, program, program of operation, programma, promissory note, promontory, promote, prospectus, protocol, proviso, public debt, publicize, puff, put on, question, reckoning, reef, regulation, retainer, retaining fee, rhinarium, rider, roster, rostrum, rubric, rule, ruling, sandspit, saving clause, scenarize, schedule, schnozzle, score, scot, scrip, sell, send a statement, set the stage, shinplaster, show, sight bill, sight draft, skin, slate, smacker, smeller, snoot, snout, spiel, spit, spur, stage, stage presentation, standing order, star, statement, statement of facts, statute, stipend, succeed, swan song, tab, tabulation, tally, theatrical performance, theatricalize, time bill, time draft, tongue, trade acceptance, treasury bill, treasury note, tribute, trunk, try out, tryout, uncollectibles, unfulfilled pledge, voucher, warrant, write up