Adjacent Words

Fill definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

FILL, v.t. [Gr. allied perhaps to fold and felt; to stuff; L. pilus, pileus. We are told that the Gr. to approach, signified originally to thrust or drive, L. pello, and contracted, it is rendered to fill, and is full.]
1. Properly, to press; to crowd; to stuff. Hence, to put or pour in, till the thing will hold no more; as, to fill a basket, a bottle, a vessel.
Fill the water pots with water: and they filled them to the brim. John 2.
2. To store; to supply with abundance.
Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas. Genesis 1.
3. To cause to abound; to make universally prevalent.
The earth was filled with violence. Genesis 6.
4. To satisfy; to content.
Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? Matthew 15.
5. To glut; to surfeit.
Things that are sweet and fat are more filing.
6. To make plump; as, in a good season the grain is well filled. In the summer of 1816, the driest and coldest which the oldest man remembered, the rye was so well filled, that the grain protruded beyond the husk, and a shock yielded a peck more than in common years.
7. To press and dilate on all sides or to the extremities; as, the sails were filled.
8. To supply with liquor; to pour into; as, to fill a glass for a guest.
9. To supply with an incumbent; as, to fill an office or vacancy.
10. To hold; to possess and perform the duties of; to officiate in, as an incumbent; as, a king fills a throne; the president fills the office of chief magistrate; the speaker of the house fills the chair.
11. In seamanship, to brace the sails so that the wind will bear upon them and dilate them.
To fill out, to extend or enlarge to the desired limit.
1. To fill up, to make full.
It pours the bliss that fills up all the mind.
But in this and many other cases, the use of up weakens the force of the phrase.
2. To occupy; to fill. Seek to fill up life with useful employments.
3. To fill; to occupy the whole extent; as, to fill up a given space.
4. To engage or employ; as, to fill up time.
5. To complete; as, to fill up the measure of sin. Matthew 23.
6. To complete; to accomplish.
And fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ.
Colossians 1.
FILL, v.i.
1. To fill a cup or glass for drinking; to give to drink.
In the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double.
Revelation 18.
2. To grow or become full. corn fills well in a warm season. A mill pond fills during the night.
3. To glut; to satiate.
To fill up, to grow or become full. The channel of the river fills up with sand, every spring.
FILL, n. Fullness; as much as supplies want; as much as gives complete satisfaction. Eat and drink to the fill. take your fill of joy.
The land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety. Leviticus 25.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a quantity sufficient to satisfy; "he ate his fill of potatoes"; "she had heard her fill of gossip"
2: any material that fills a space or container; "there was not enough fill for the trench" [syn: filling, fill] v
1: make full, also in a metaphorical sense; "fill a container"; "fill the child with pride" [syn: fill, fill up, make full] [ant: empty]
2: become full; "The pool slowly filled with water"; "The theater filled up slowly" [syn: fill, fill up] [ant: discharge, empty]
3: occupy the whole of; "The liquid fills the container" [syn: occupy, fill]
4: assume, as of positions or roles; "She took the job as director of development"; "he occupies the position of manager"; "the young prince will soon occupy the throne" [syn: fill, take, occupy]
5: fill or meet a want or need [syn: meet, satisfy, fill, fulfill, fulfil]
6: appoint someone to (a position or a job)
7: eat until one is sated; "He filled up on turkey" [syn: fill up, fill]
8: fill to satisfaction; "I am sated" [syn: satiate, sate, replete, fill]
9: plug with a substance; "fill a cavity"

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English, from Old English fyllan; akin to Old English full full Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. to put into as much as can be held or conveniently contained <fill a cup with water> b. to supply with a full complement <the class is filled> c. (1) to cause to swell or billow <wind filled the sails> (2) to trim (a sail) to catch the wind d. to raise the level of with fill <filled land> e. to repair the cavities of (teeth) f. to stop up ; obstruct <wreckage filled the channel> g. to stop up the interstices, crevices, or pores of (as cloth, wood, or leather) with a foreign substance 2. a. feed, satiate b. satisfy, fulfill <fills all requirements> c. make out, complete — used with out or in <fill out a form> <fill in the blanks> d. to draw the playing cards necessary to complete (as a straight or flush in poker) 3. a. to occupy the whole of <smoke filled the room> b. to spread through <music filled the air> c. to make full <a mind filled with fantasies> 4. a. to possess and perform the duties of ; hold <fill an office> b. to place a person in <fill a vacancy> 5. to supply as directed <fill a prescription> 6. to cover the surface of with a layer of precious metal intransitive verb to become full II. noun Date: before 12th century 1. a full supply; especially a quantity that satisfies or satiates <eat your fill> 2. something that fills: as a. material used to fill a receptacle, cavity, passage, or low place b. a bit of instrumental music that fills the pauses between phrases (as of a vocalist or soloist) c. artificial light used in photography to reduce or eliminate shadows — often used attributively <fill flash>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v. 1 tr. & intr. (often foll. by with) make or become full. 2 tr. occupy completely; spread over or through; pervade. 3 tr. block up (a cavity or hole in a tooth) with cement, amalgam, gold, etc.; drill and put a filling into (a decayed tooth). 4 tr. appoint a person to hold (a vacant post). 5 tr. hold (a position); discharge the duties of (an office). 6 tr. carry out or supply (an order, commission, etc.). 7 tr. occupy (vacant time). 8 intr. (of a sail) be distended by wind. 9 tr. (usu. as filling adj.) (esp. of food) satisfy, satiate. 10 tr. Poker etc. complete (a holding) by drawing the necessary cards. 11 tr. stock abundantly. --n. 1 (prec. by possessive) as much as one wants or can bear (eat your fill). 2 enough to fill something (a fill of tobacco). 3 earth etc. used to fill a cavity. Phrases and idioms: fill the bill be suitable or adequate. fill in 1 add information to complete (a form, document, blank cheque, etc.). 2 a complete (a drawing etc.) within an outline. b fill (an outline) in this way. 3 fill (a hole etc.) completely. 4 (often foll. by for) act as a substitute. 5 occupy oneself during (time between other activities). 6 colloq. inform (a person) more fully. 7 sl. thrash, beat. fill out 1 enlarge to the required size. 2 become enlarged or plump. 3 US fill in (a document etc.). fill up 1 make or become completely full. 2 fill in (a document etc.). 3 fill the petrol tank of (a car etc.). 4 provide what is needed to occupy vacant parts or places or deal with deficiencies in. 5 do away with (a pond etc.) by filling. fill-up n. a thing that fills something up. Etymology: OE fyllan f. Gmc, rel. to FULL(1)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fill Fill, n. That which fills; filling; specif., an embankment, as in railroad construction, to fill a hollow or ravine; also, the place which is to be filled.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fill Fill, n. [See Thill.] One of the thills or shafts of a carriage. --Mortimer. Fill horse, a thill horse. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fill Fill, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Filled; p. pr. & vb. n. Filling.] [OE. fillen, fullen, AS. fyllan, fr. full full; akin to D. vullen, G. f["u]llen, Icel. fylla, Sw. fylla, Dan. fylde, Goth. fulljan. See Full, a.] 1. To make full; to supply with as much as can be held or contained; to put or pour into, till no more can be received; to occupy the whole capacity of. The rain also filleth the pools. --Ps. lxxxiv. 6. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. Anf they filled them up to the brim. --John ii. 7. 2. To furnish an abudant supply to; to furnish with as mush as is desired or desirable; to occupy the whole of; to swarm in or overrun. And God blessed them, saying. Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas. --Gen. i. 22. The Syrians filled the country. --1 Kings xx. 27. 3. To fill or supply fully with food; to feed; to satisfy. Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fillso great a multitude? --Matt. xv. 33. Things that are sweet and fat are more filling. --Bacon. 4. To possess and perform the duties of; to officiate in, as an incumbent; to occupy; to hold; as, a king fills a throne; the president fills the office of chief magistrate; the speaker of the House fills the chair. 5. To supply with an incumbent; as, to fill an office or a vacancy. --A. Hamilton. 6. (Naut.) (a) To press and dilate, as a sail; as, the wind filled the sails. (b) To trim (a yard) so that the wind shall blow on the after side of the sails. 7. (Civil Engineering) To make an embankment in, or raise the level of (a low place), with earth or gravel. To fill in, to insert; as, he filled in the figures. To fill out, to extend or enlarge to the desired limit; to make complete; as, to fill out a bill. To fill up, to make quite full; to fill to the brim or entirely; to occupy completely; to complete. ``The bliss that fills up all the mind.'' --Pope. ``And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.'' --Col. i. 24.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fill Fill, v. i. 1. To become full; to have the whole capacity occupied; to have an abundant supply; to be satiated; as, corn fills well in a warm season; the sail fills with the wind. 2. To fill a cup or glass for drinking. Give me some wine; fill full. --Shak. To back and fill. See under Back, v. i. To fill up, to grow or become quite full; as, the channel of the river fills up with sand.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fill Fill, n. [AS. fyllo. See Fill, v. t.] A full supply, as much as supplies want; as much as gives complete satisfaction. ``Ye shall eat your fill.'' --Lev. xxv. 19. I'll bear thee hence, where I may weep my fill. --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(fills, filling, filled) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If you fill a container or area, or if it fills, an amount of something enters it that is enough to make it full. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a slow boil... She made sandwiches, filled a flask and put sugar in... The boy's eyes filled with tears... While the bath was filling, he padded about in his underpants. ? empty VERB: V n with n, V n, V with n, V • Fill up means the same as fill. Pass me your cup, Amy, and I'll fill it up for you... Warehouses at the frontier between the two countries fill up with sacks of rice and flour. PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P with n, also V P, V P n (not pron) 2. If something fills a space, it is so big, or there are such large quantities of it, that there is very little room left. He cast his eyes at the rows of cabinets that filled the enormous work area... The text fills 231 pages. VERB: V n, V n • Fill up means the same as fill. ...the complicated machines that fill up today's laboratories. PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P • filled ...four museum buildings filled with historical objects. ADJ: v-link ADJ with n • -filled ...the flower-filled courtyard of an old Spanish colonial house. COMB in ADJ 3. If you fill a crack or hole, you put a substance into it in order to make the surface smooth again. Fill small holes with wood filler in a matching colour... The gravedigger filled the grave. VERB: V n with n, V n • Fill in means the same as fill. If any cracks have appeared in the tart case, fill these in with raw pastry. PHRASAL VERB: V n P, also V P n (not pron) 4. If a sound, smell, or light fills a space, or the air, it is very strong or noticeable. In the parking lot of the school, the siren filled the air... All the light bars were turned on which filled the room with these rotating beams of light... VERB: V n, V n with n • -filled ...those whose work forces them to be in dusty or smoke-filled environments. COMB in ADJ 5. If something fills you with an emotion, or if an emotion fills you, you experience this emotion strongly. I admired my father, and his work filled me with awe and curiosity... He looked at me without speaking, and for the first time I could see the pride that filled him... VERB: V n with n, V n 6. If you fill a period of time with a particular activity, you spend the time in this way. If she wants a routine to fill her day, let her do community work. VERB: V n, also V n with n • Fill up means the same as fill. On Thursday night she went to her yoga class, glad to have something to fill up the evening. PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P 7. If something fills a need or a gap, it puts an end to this need or gap by existing or being active. She brought him a sense of fun, of gaiety that filled a gap in his life. VERB: V n 8. If something fills a role, position, or function, they have that role or position, or perform that function, often successfully. Dena was filling the role of diplomat's wife with the skill she had learned over the years. = perform VERB: V n 9. If a company or organization fills a job vacancy, they choose someone to do the job. If someone fills a job vacancy, they accept a job that they have been offered. One problem not mentioned is the unemployed may not have the skills to fill the vacancies on offer... A vacancy has arisen which I intend to fill. VERB: V n, V n 10. When a dentist fills someone's tooth, he or she puts a filling in it. It is almost impossible to find a dentist who will fill a tooth on the National Health. VERB: V n 11. If you fill an order or a prescription, you provide the things that are asked for. (mainly AM) A pharmacist can fill any prescription if, in his or her judgment, the prescription is valid. VERB: V n 12. to fill the bill: see bill

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Make full, fill up. 2. Pervade, occupy, occupy completely. 3. Dilate, expand, stretch, distend. 4. Store, supply, furnish, replenish, stock. 5. Satisfy, content, sate, glut, satiate, cloy, pall. 6. Supply with an incumbent. 7. Occupy (as a place of trust), hold, fulfil, perform the duties of, officiate in. II. v. n. 1. Fill a glass or cup. 2. Become full, be filled, fill up. III. n. Full supply.

Moby Thesaurus

abide by, accommodate, act up to, adhere to, admit, advise, afford, allay, answer, assimilate, attend to, bag, bar, barrel, battologize, be enfeoffed of, be faithful to, be possessed of, be seized of, bellyful, bespread, bind, bloat, block, block up, blockade, blow up, boast, bottle, box, brim, bumper, bung, burden, can, capacity, carry out, caulk, ceil, charge, chink, chock, choke, choke off, choke up, claim, clog, clog up, close, clothe, cloy, command, complement, complete, comply with, comprehend, comprise, conform to, congest, constipate, contain, contribute, cork, count in, cover, cram, crate, crawl with, creep with, crowd, crush, dam, dam up, diffuse, discharge, distend, do, do justice to, donate, embody, embrace, encircle, enclose, encompass, endow, engorge, engorgement, enjoy, enough, envisage, execute, expand, extend throughout, face, fatten, feather, fill in, fill out, fill to overflowing, fill up, find, flood, follow, foul, freight, fulfill, full house, full measure, fullness, fund, fur, furnish, give, give an encore, glut, go over, go through, gorge, grow, have, have and hold, have in hand, have tenure of, heap, heap up, heed, hold, hold by, honeycomb, imbue, include, incorporate, increase, inflate, inform, inlay, interline, invest, iterate, jade, jam, jam up, jam-pack, keep, keep faith with, know no bounds, lade, lading, leave no void, leaven, let in on, line, live up to, load, luxuriate, maintain, make available, make good, make out, make provision for, mass, meet, more than enough, mouthful, notify, number among, observe, obstipate, obstruct, occlude, occupy, overabound, overbrim, overdose, overfeed, overfill, overflow, overgorge, overgrow, overrun, oversaturate, overspill, overspread, overstuff, overswarm, pack, pack away, pad, pall, penetrate, permeate, pervade, pile, plenty, plug, plug up, pocket, possess, practice, prepare, present, provide, provide for, pug, pullulate, ram in, reaffirm, reassert, recapitulate, receive, recite, reckon among, reckon in, reckon with, recount, recruit, regard, rehash, rehearse, reissue, reiterate, replenish, repletion, reprint, respect, restate, resume, retail, retell, review, reword, run over, run riot, run through, sack, sate, satiate, satiation, satiety, satisfaction, satisfy, saturate, saturatedness, saturation, saturation point, say over, say over again, seal, share, ship, skinful, slake, snootful, spile, spill over, squat, squat on, squeeze, stack, stall, stanch, stand in, stay, stench, stock, stodge, stop, stop up, stopper, stopple, store, stow, stretch, stuff, stuff up, subsidize, substitute, sufficiency, suffuse, sum up, summarize, superabound, supercharge, supersaturate, supersaturation, supply, support, surfeit, swarm, swarm with, swell, take in, take into account, take into consideration, take over, take up, tautologize, teem, teem with, tell, top off, transfuse, usucapt, wad, wainscot, weight, yield