From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbillbill1 /bɪl/ ●●● S1 W1 noun [countable] 1 PAYMENTrequest for payment a written list showing how much you have to pay for services you have received, work that has been done etcbill for The bill for the repairs came to $650. Have you paid the phone bill?2 restaurant especially British English a list showing how much you have to pay for food you have eaten in a restaurant SYN check American English Could we have the bill, please?3 LAWlawPGPSCL a written proposal for a new law, that is brought to a parliament so that it can be discussedapprove/pass/veto a bill The House of Representatives passed a new gun-control bill. The senator introduced a bill that would increase the minimum wage.4 MONEYmoney American English a piece of paper money SYN note British English → coin a five-dollar bill5 → fit/fill the bill6 CONCERT/SHOW ETCconcert/show etcAPAM a programme of entertainment at a theatre, concert, cinema etc, with details of who is performing, what is being shown etc Tricia topped the bill (=was the most important performer) at the Children’s Variety Show. 7 → give somebody/something a clean bill of health8 BIRDbirdHBB a bird’s beak9 advertisement a printed notice advertising an event10 part of a hat American English the front part that sticks out on a hat such as a baseball cap11 → the (old) billCOLLOCATIONSverbspay a billMost people pay their bills on time.settle a bill (=pay it)She went down to the lobby to settle the bill for their rooms.foot the bill/pick up the bill (=pay for something, especially when you do not want to)Taxpayers will probably have to foot the bill.run up a bill (=use a lot of something so that you have a big bill to pay)It’s easy to run up a big bill on your mobile phone.face a bill (=have a lot to pay on a bill)They were facing a mounting legal bill.cut/reduce a billWe need to find a way to cut our fuel bill.a bill comes to something (=is for that amount)The bill came to $60.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + billa big/huge billTurn off the lights or we’ll get a huge electricity bill.an electricity/gas/phone etc billI’ll have to pay the gas bill too next month.a hotel billHe paid the hotel bill by credit card.a tax billThere are various ways you can reduce your tax bill.an unpaid billShe had unpaid bills amounting to £3,000.an outstanding bill (=still unpaid)He still didn’t have enough to pay his outstanding bills. THESAURUSbill a piece of paper that tells you how much you must payMany families are struggling to pay their bills.a credit card billWe got a huge phone bill.I asked the waiter to bring me the bill.check American English a bill that tells you how much you must pay in a restaurantCan I have the check, please?invoice a document that lists the goods that a company has sent, or the services they have provided, and tells you how much you must pay. It is often sent from one company to another companyPayment is due ten days after receipt of the invoice.tab informal a bill that is added up at the end of a period of time, especially for food or drinks that you have had in a restaurant or hotelPeople staying in the hotel can order food or drinks to be put on their tab.
Examples from the Corpus
bill• The garage sent me a bill for £400.• The president signed a bill that will help more families move from welfare to work.• The influential Bell study gave them largely a clean bill of health as a model for determining disputes concerning entitlement to benefit.• The House of Representatives passed a new gun-control bill.• But it could land them with a court bill of up to £200 if they're stopped by the police.• Monday's debate on the defense bill lasted all night.• But before work can start they need the money, and the final bill could come to several million pounds.• To keep rate bills to a minimum, action needs to be taken.• We've just had a huge telephone bill.• The public has purchased only half as many as needed to cover the bill.• Can I have the bill, please?• After all of the bills are paid, about $ 6.2 million should remain, he said.• They left the hotel without paying the bill.• The bill for the meal came to $75, including wine.• Sewer rates, which are included on water bills, would not be affected.approve/pass/veto a bill• Lawmakers approved a bill repealing the tax in 1979, but Gov.• In 1994, the California legislature passed a bill to permit physicians to prescribe marijuana.• Wilson earlier this month vetoed a bill by Sen.• Fife Symington vetoed a bill that would have given the Insurance Department the power to investigate and fine managed-care plans.• On Tuesday, Symington vetoed a bill that would have allowed judges to increase prison sentences for hate crimes.topped the bill• Pickled cucumbers and beetroot and horseradish sauce topped the bill. billbill2 verb 1 PAY FOR[transitive] to send someone a bill Clients will be billed monthly.bill somebody for something I was billed for equipment that I didn’t order.2 → be billed to do something3 → bill and coo → bill something as something→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
bill• But Marsha is billed $ 578 a month for his bed, board and treatment.• Despite being billed as the next big thing, huge contracts and catwalk shows failed to materialise.• Some lawyers bill clients up to $300 an hour.• Some consumers are offered one-year subscriptions and then are billed for two years.• In New York, my pharmacist bills Medicaid directly.• One lobbyist billed the environmental group $20,000 for nine-months' work.Bill, TheThe BillBill, The a British television programme that was about a police station in London and the crimes solved by its police officersFrom Longman Business Dictionarybillbill1 /bɪl/ noun [countable]1ACCOUNTINGa list showing how much you have to pay for services or goods receivedSYNINVOICEbig companies that fail to settle their bills with smaller businesses on timeThe government will no longer foot the bill (=pay the bill) if banks run into difficulty.bill forThe average bill for electricity is £270 a year.2British English a list showing how much you have to pay for food you have eaten in a restaurantSYNcheck AmEWe finished coffee and asked for the bill.3LAW a written proposal for a new lawThe wording of the bill was vague.Democrats met earlier this month to draft (=write) a new tax bill.The senate haspassed a bill (=voted for one and made it law) to reform the social security system. → see also Finance Bill4BANKING American English a BANKNOTEA dollar bill costs 3.2 cents to produce.5BANKING a BILL OF EXCHANGE6FINANCE a form of borrowing for short periods of time → Treasury billbillbill2 verb [transitive] to send a bill to someone saying how much they oweSYNINVOICEbill somebody for somethingThey billed the Air Force for the work that they had carried out.→ See Verb tableOrigin bill1 1. (1300-1400) Medieval Latin billa, from Latin bulla “bubble, seal added to a document”; → BOIL12. Old English bile3. (1300-1400) Old Bill 