ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bills

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈbɪɫz// UK //bˈɪlz// bills

n. a piece of paper that shows how much money you owe for something you bought or used. You usually get them for things like electricity, water, or food at a restaurant.

n. a printed or written statement of the money owed for goods or services. Often used in the plural to refer to regular household expenses.


SIMPLE

I need to pay the electricity bill today.

CONTEXTUAL

After we finished our dinner, the waiter brought the bill to our table.

COMPLEX

The sudden increase in monthly utility bills forced the family to reconsider their energy consumption and invest in better home insulation.

Synonyms
Usage

Commonly used with verbs like 'pay', 'settle', or 'receive'.

Pitfall

I asked for the account in the restaurantI asked for the bill in the restaurantIn a restaurant context, 'bill' (UK/US) or 'check' (US) is used; 'account' refers to a long-term financial arrangement with a bank or business.

Idioms1 entry

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