- 1 a document that shows how much you owe somebody for goods or services the telephone/electricity/gas bill We ran up a massive hotel bill. She always pays her bills on time. I’ll be sending you the bill for the dry-cleaning! The bills are piling up (= there are more and more that have still not been paid). CollocationsFinanceIncome earn money/cash/(informal) a fortune make money/a fortune/(informal) a killing on the stock market acquire/inherit/amass wealth/a fortune build up funds/savings get/receive/leave (somebody) an inheritance/a legacy live on a low wage/a fixed income/a pension get/receive/draw/collect a pension depend/be dependent on (British English) benefits/(North American English) welfare/social securityExpenditure spend money/your savings/(informal) a fortune on… invest/put your savings in… throw away/waste/ (informal) shell out money on… lose your money/inheritance/pension use up/ (informal) wipe out all your savings pay (in) cash use/pay by a credit/debit card pay by/make out a/write somebody a/accept a (British English) cheque/(US English) check change/exchange money/currency/(British English) traveller’s cheques/(US English) traveler’s checks give/pay/leave (somebody) a depositBanks have/hold/open/close/freeze a bank account/an account credit/debit/pay something into/take money out of your account deposit money/funds in your account withdraw money/cash/£30 from an ATM, etc. (formal) make a deposit/withdrawal find/go to/use (especially North American English) an ATM/(British English) a cash machine/dispenser be in credit/in debit/in the black/in the red/overdrawnPersonal finance manage/handle/plan/run/ (especially British English) sort out your finances plan/manage/work out/stick to a budget offer/extend credit (to somebody) arrange/take out a loan/an overdraft pay back/repay money/a loan/a debt pay for something in (especially British English) instalments/(usually North American English) installmentsFinancial difficulties get into debt/financial difficulties be short of/ (informal) be strapped for cash run out of/owe money face/get/ (informal) be landed with a bill for £… can’t afford the cost of…/payments/rent fall behind with/ (especially North American English) fall behind on the mortgage/repayments/rent incur/run up/accumulate debts tackle/reduce/settle your debts Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebig, hefty, high, … verb + billget, receive, be landed with, … bill + verbarrive, come in, amount to, … bill + nounpayment, collector prepositionbill for See full entry See related entries: Renting a home
- 2 (especially British English) (usually North American English check) a piece of paper that shows how much you have to pay for the food and drinks that you have had in a restaurant Let's ask for the bill. Synonymsbillaccount invoice checkThese are all words for a record of how much you owe for goods or services you have bought or used.bill a list of goods that you have bought or services that you have used, showing how much you owe; the price or cost of something:the gas billaccount an arrangement with a shop/store or business to pay bills for goods or services at a later time, for example in regular amounts every month:Put it on my account please.invoice (rather formal) a bill for goods that somebody has bought or work that has been done for somebody:The builders sent an invoice for £250.bill or invoice?You would get a bill in a restaurant, bar or hotel; from a company that supplies you with gas, electricity, etc; or from somebody whose property you have damaged. An invoice is for goods supplied or work done as agreed between a customer and supplier.check (North American English) a piece of paper that shows how much you have to pay for the food and drinks that you have had in a restaurant:Can I have the check, please? In British English the usual word for this is bill.Patterns the bill/invoice/check for something to pay/settle a(n) bill/account/invoice/check to put something on the/somebody’s bill/account/invoice/check Oxford Collocations Dictionary verb + billask for, bring, get, … bill + verbarrive, come, come to, … See full entry See related entries: Dining out money
- 3 (North American English) (British English note) (also banknote especially in British English) a piece of paper money a ten-dollar bill Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivefive-dollar, twenty-dollar, etc., … verb + billcount, count out See full entry in parliament
- 4 a written suggestion for a new law that is presented to a country’s parliament so that its members can discuss it to introduce/approve/reject a bill the Education Reform Bill Wordfinderparliamentact, bill, chamber, coalition, election, law, legislation, parliament, politician, vote Culture In Britain a bill must be discussed in the House of Commons and the House of Lords before it can become a law. In the US it must be discussed either in the House of Representatives or the Senate. If enough people vote for it there, it is discussed in the other house of Congress, and if it is passed it goes to the President, who decides whether or not it should become a law. see also Act of Parliament Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecontroversial, comprehensive, sweeping, … verb + billbring forward, bring in, introduce, … bill + verbbecome law, contain, include something, … See full entry See related entries: Parliament at theatre, etc.
- 5a programme of entertainment at a theatre, etc. a horror double bill (= two horror films/movies shown one after the other) Topping the bill (= the most important performer) is Paul Simon. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedouble verb + billhead, top, share, … prepositionon a/the bill See full entry See related entries: Producing a play advertisement
- 6a notice in a public place to advertise an event synonym poster Post no bills (= a notice warning people not to stick bills in a particular place). see also handbill See related entries: Marketing of birds
- 7 the hard pointed or curved outer part of a bird’s mouth synonym beak See related entries: Parts of animals
- 8-billed (in adjectives) having the type of bill mentioned long-billed waders More Like This Compound adjectives for physical characteristics -beaked, -bellied, -billed, -blooded, -bodied, -cheeked, -chested, -eared, -eyed, -faced, -fingered, -footed, -haired, -handed, -headed, -hearted, -hipped, -lidded, -limbed, -mouthed, -necked, -nosed, -skinned, -tailed, -throated, -toothedSee worksheet. on hat
- 9(also visor) (both North American English) (British English peak) the stiff front part of a cap that sticks out above your eyes see also Old Bill Word Originnoun senses 1 to 6 Middle English (denoting a written list or catalogue): from Anglo-Norman French bille, probably based on medieval Latin bulla ‘seal, sealed document’. noun senses 7 to 9 Old English bile, of unknown origin. CollocationsRestaurantsEating out eat (lunch/dinner)/dine/meet at/in a restaurant go (out)/take somebody (out) for lunch/dinner/a meal have a meal with somebody make/have a reservation (in/under the name of Yamada) reserve/ (especially British English) book a table for six ask for/request a table for two/a table by the windowIn the restaurant wait to be seated show somebody to their table sit in the corner/by the window/at the bar/at the counter hand somebody/give somebody the menu/wine list open/read/study/peruse the menu the restaurant has a three-course set menu/a children’s menu/an extensive wine list taste/sample/try the wine the waiter takes your order order/choose/have the soup of the day/one of the specials/the house (British English) speciality/(especially North American English) specialty serve/finish the first course/the starter/the main course/dessert/coffee complain about the food/the service/your meal enjoy your mealPaying pay/ask for (especially British English) the bill/(North American English) the check pay for/treat somebody to dinner/lunch/the meal service is (not) included give somebody/leave (somebody) a tipExtra examples Are the coffees on the bill? Could I have the bill please? Customers receive an itemized monthly phone bill. Don’t worry—the company will pick up the bill. I’ve just got a huge tax bill. Many people struggle to pay their rent and utility bills. Mozart is on the bill this evening. Republicans will try to push the bill through Congress. Rufus Wainwright is topping the bill. The bill amounted to $850. The bill became law in June. The bill came to £120. The bill included a gradual phase-out of estate tax. The bill was brought to the floor of the House last summer. The bill will be brought before Parliament next year. The company could now face higher fuel bills. The government has put forward an emergency bill to limit the powers of the police. The opposition will try to force the bill through Parliament. They presented us with a very large bill. Tom Jones is topping the bill. Use the money in the account to cover the bills. We decided to split the bill. We need to cut our electricity bills. We ran up a very large hotel bill. We share the gas and electricity bills. Who is going to foot the bill for the damage? a sweeping bill that will reform the nation’s immigration system the bill for the meal I’ll be sending you the bill for the dry-cleaning! The bills are piling up. The waiter brought the bill to their table. the telephone/electricity/gas billIdioms
noun jump to other results
BrE BrE//bɪl//; NAmE NAmE//bɪl//
Parliament, Marketing, Parts of animals, Producing a play, Renting a home, Dining out
a report that says somebody is healthy or that something is in good condition Doctors gave him a clean bill of health after a series of tests and examinations. The building was given a clean bill of health by the surveyor.
to be what is needed in a particular situation or for a particular purpose On paper, several of the applicants fit the bill.
(informal) to be responsible for paying the cost of something Once again it will be the taxpayer who has to foot the bill. Who will be footing the bill for the party?
Check pronunciation: bill
