bill
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.a piece of paper that shows how much money you must pay for something you bought.
n.an itemised statement of money owed for goods provided or services rendered.
Simple“The waiter brought the bill to our table after we finished our coffee.”
In context“The utility company sent a surprisingly high bill this month, prompting us to check the meter for potential leaks.”
PitfallI asked for the bill of the dinner. I asked for the bill for the dinner.Use 'for' to indicate what the bill is charging you for.
- 02 A2 Elementary
n.a piece of paper money.
n.a piece of paper currency issued by a central bank.
Simple“He reached into his wallet and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill.”
In context“The cashier refused to accept the hundred-dollar bill because the shop lacked sufficient change in the register.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.the hard mouth part of a bird.
n.the horny projecting mouthparts of a bird; a beak.
Simple“The duck dipped its bill into the water to look for food.”
In context“The woodpecker's sturdy bill is specifically adapted for drumming against tree trunks to locate insects beneath the bark.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a plan for a new law that a government is discussing.
n.a draft of a proposed statute presented to a legislature for discussion and potential enactment.
Simple“The new bill aims to protect the local forest from building projects.”
In context“After months of heated debate, the environmental bill finally passed the lower house with several significant amendments.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
n.a slang name for the police.
n.a collective slang term for the police force.
Simple“The teenagers ran away when they saw the Bill arriving.”
In context“He spent half his life trying to stay one step ahead of the Bill, but his luck eventually ran out.”
Teacher's tipOften used with 'the' or as 'Old Bill'. It is informal and specific to the UK.
Synonyms - 06 B1 Intermediate
v.to send someone a paper asking for payment.
v.to send a statement of charges to a client or customer.
Simple“The lawyer will bill you for the time spent on your case.”
In context“The consultancy firm bills its clients on a monthly basis, providing a detailed breakdown of all hours worked.”
- 07 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to describe or advertise someone in a certain way.
v.to advertise or schedule a person or event in a particular role or manner.
Simple“The movie was billed as the most exciting thriller of the year.”
In context“The festival organisers billed the young pianist as a child prodigy, though she was already in her late teens.”
Hypocorism of William. It is unclear how the initial W became a B; this could have been part of the medieval trend of swapping letters, similar to Dick for Rick.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.