English

Noun

bill (plural bills)

1. An invoice ; 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.

   Quotations

   • 1607: My lord, here is my bill. — William Shakespeare, Timon of Athens, Act III, Scene IV, line 85.

2. 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.

   Quotations

   • 1595: In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties, such as our play wants. — William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act I, Scene II, line 104.
   • She put up the bill in her parlor window. Dickens.

3. A draft of a law, presented to a legislature for enactment ; a proposed or projected law.

   Quotations

   • 1600: Why, I'll exhibit a bill in the parliament for the putting down of men. — William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act II, Scene I, line 28.

4. 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. A bill of exchange. In the United States, it is usually called a note, a note of hand, or a promissory note.

   Quotations

   • 1600: Ay, and Rato-lorum too; and a gentleman born, Master Parson; who writes himself Armigero , in any bill, warrant, quittance , or obligation, Armigero . — William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act I, Scene I, line 8.

5. Any paper, containing a statement of particulars; as, a bill of charges or expenditures ; a weekly bill of mortality; a bill of fare, etc.
6. A beak, as of a bird, or sometimes of a turtle or other animal.

   Quotations

   • 1595: The woosel cock so black of hue, With orange-tawny bill, The throstle with his note so true, The wren with little quill... — William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act III, Scene I, line 125.

7. The bell, or boom, of the bittern.

   The bittern's hollow bill was heard. Wordsworth.

8. 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 .
9. (Weapon) 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.

   Quotations

   • 1786: In the British Museum there is an entry of a warrant, granted to Nicholas Spicer, authorising him to impress smiths for making two thousand Welch bills or glaives. — Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 56.

   France had no infantry that dared to face the English bows end bills. Macaulay.

10. One who wields a bill; a billman .
11. (Obsolete) A pickax , or mattock.
12. (Nautical) The extremity of the arm of an anchor; the point of or beyond the fluke.
13. (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.

Translations

• French: addition f (1), déclaration f (2), facture (1, 2?)
• German: Rechnung f (1), Erklärung f (2)
• Interlingua: factura (1); nota , declaration (2); projecto de lege , bill (3)
• Irish: gob m (6)
• Italian: fattura f (1), nota f (2), progetto di legge m (3)
• Portuguese: fatura f, conta f; nota f, declaração f (2); projeto de lei m (3)
• Spanish: nota , cuenta f (1), declaración f (2)

Derived terms

• bill of adventure
• bill of costs
• bill of credit
• bill of divorce
• bill of entry
• bill of exceptions
• bill of exchange
• bill of fare
• bill of health
• bill of indictment
• bill of lading
• bill of mortality
• bill of pains and penalties
• bill of parcels
• bill of particulars (Law)
• bill of rights
• bill of sale
• bill of sight
• bill of store
• bills payable
• bills receivable
• true bill

Intransitive verb

to bill (billed, billing)

1. (Obsolete) To strike; to peck.
2. To join bills, as doves; to caress in fondness.

   Quotations

   • 1599: As the ox hath his bow, sir, the horse his curb and the falcon her bells, so man hath his desires; and as pigeons bill, so wedlock would be nibbling.
   • To bill and coo, to interchange caresses; -- said of doves; also of demonstrative lovers. Thackeray.

Transitive verb

to bill (billed, billing)

1. To work upon, (as to dig, hoe, hack, or chop anything) with a bill.
2. To advertise by a bill or public notice.
3. To charge or enter in a bill; as, to bill goods.