name · noun · verb · 45 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/bɪl/
[bɪɫ]
bîl
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪl
/ˈbɪl/
[ˈbɪɫ]
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈbɪʊ̯/l-vocalization
[ˈbɪʊ̯]l-vocalization
homophone: Bill
CMU ARPABET:B IH1 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
A diminutive of the male given name William.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
name
Meaning 2
A diminutive of the male given name Bilal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
name
Meaning 3
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
name
Meaning 4
A nickname for the British constabulary. Often called "The Bill" or "Old Bill"
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A written list or inventory. (Now obsolete except in specific senses or set phrases; bill of lading, bill of goods, etc.)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A document, originally sealed; a formal statement or official memorandum. (Now obsolete except with certain qualifying words; bill of health, bill of sale etc.)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A draft of a law, presented to a legislature for enactment; a proposed or projected law.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister, I beg to introduce a bill entitled[...]
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: measure
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
A piece of paper money; a banknote.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
A piece of paper money; a banknote.
One hundred dollars.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, US, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
One hundred pounds sterling.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
A written note of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, with the price or charge owing; an invoice.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He received a bill of £9 for the groceries.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: account, invoice
Antonyms: none provided
13
noun
Meaning 13
A written note of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, listing the price or charge paid; a receipt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: India, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
noun
Meaning 14
A paper, written or printed, and posted up or given away, to advertise something, as a lecture, a play, or the sale of goods
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
A writing that binds 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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bank bill, banker's bill, bank note, banknote, Federal Reserve note, government note, greenback, note
Antonyms: none provided
16
noun
Meaning 16
A set of items presented together.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
17
noun
Meaning 17
A list of pupils to be disciplined for breaking school rules.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK
Qualifier: Eton College
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
18
noun
Meaning 18
The beak of a bird, especially when small or flattish; sometimes also used with reference to a platypus, turtle, or other animal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: beak, neb, nib, pecker
Antonyms: none provided
19
noun
Meaning 19
A beaklike projection, especially a promontory.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
There is a lighthouse on Portland Bill.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
20
noun
Meaning 20
Of a cap or hat: the brim or peak, serving as a shade to keep sun off the face and out of the eyes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: brim, hatbrim
Antonyms: none provided
21
noun
Meaning 21
Any of various bladed or pointed hand weapons, originally designating an Anglo-Saxon sword, and later a weapon of infantry, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries, commonly consisting of a broad, heavy, double-edged, hook-shaped blade, with a short pike at the back and another at the top, attached to the end of a long staff.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: polearm
Antonyms: none provided
22
noun
Meaning 22
A cutting instrument, with hook-shaped point, and fitted with a handle, used in pruning, etc.; a billhook.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: billhook, hand bill, hedgebill
Antonyms: none provided
23
noun
Meaning 23
Somebody armed with a bill; a billman.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: billman
Antonyms: none provided
24
noun
Meaning 24
A pickaxe or mattock.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
25
noun
Meaning 25
The extremity of the arm of an anchor; the point of or beyond the fluke (also called the peak).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
26
noun
Meaning 26
The bell, or boom, of the bittern.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
27
verb
Meaning 27
To advertise by a bill or public notice.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: placard
Antonyms: none provided
28
verb
Meaning 28
To charge; to send a bill to.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: charge
Antonyms: none provided
29
verb
Meaning 29
to peck
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
30
verb
Meaning 30
to stroke bill against bill, with reference to doves; to caress in fondness
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
31
verb
Meaning 31
To dig, chop, etc., with a bill.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
32
verb
Meaning 32
To roll up a marijuana cigarette.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, ambitransitive, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
33
noun
Meaning 33
the entertainment offered at a public presentation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: program, programme
34
noun
Meaning 34
horny projecting mouth of a bird
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: beak, neb, nib, pecker
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: mouth
Narrower terms: cere
35
noun
Meaning 35
a brim that projects to the front to shade the eyes
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he pulled down the bill of his cap and trudged ahead
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: peak, eyeshade, visor, vizor
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: brim
36
noun
Meaning 36
a long-handled saw with a curved blade
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he used a bill to prune branches off of the tree
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: billhook
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: saw
37
noun
Meaning 37
a list of particulars (as a playbill or bill of fare)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: list, listing
Narrower terms: bill of entry, bill of goods, menu, bill of fare, card, carte du jour, carte, playbill
38
noun
Meaning 38
an itemized statement of money owed for goods shipped or services rendered
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he paid his bill and left
send me an account of what I owe
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: account, invoice
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: statement, financial statement
Narrower terms: electric bill, hotel bill, medical bill, doctor's bill, phone bill, telephone bill, reckoning, tally, tax bill, check, chit, tab
39
noun
Meaning 39
a statute in draft before it becomes law
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they held a public hearing on the bill
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: measure
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument
Narrower terms: appropriation bill, bill of attainder, bottle bill, farm bill, trade bill
40
noun
Meaning 40
a sign posted in a public place as an advertisement
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a poster advertised the coming attractions
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: poster, posting, placard, notice, card
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sign
Narrower terms: show bill, show card, theatrical poster, flash card, flashcard
41
noun
Meaning 41
an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution
a piece of paper money (especially one issued by a central bank)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he peeled off five one-thousand-zloty notes
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: note, government note, bank bill, banker's bill, bank note, banknote, Federal Reserve note, greenback
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: paper money, folding money, paper currency
Narrower terms: silver certificate, hundred dollar bill, c-note, fifty dollar bill, fifty, twenty dollar bill, twenty, tenner, ten dollar bill, fiver, five-spot, five dollar bill, two dollar bill, dollar, dollar bill, one dollar bill, buck, clam
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.
From Middle English bille, from Anglo-Norman bille, from Old French bulle, from Medieval Latin bulla (“seal, sealed document”). Doublet of bull (“papal bull; bubble”) and bulla.
From Middle English bill, bil, bille, bile, from Old English bile (“beak (of a bird); trunk (of an elephant)”), of unknown origin. Perhaps from a special use of Old English bil, bill (“hook; sword”) (see below).
From Middle English bill, bille, bil, from Old English bil, bill (“a hooked point; curved weapon; two-edged sword”), from Proto-Germanic *bilją (“axe; sword; blade”), from Proto-Indo-European *bheyH- (“to strike; beat”). Cognate with West Frisian bile (“axe”), Dutch bijl (“axe”), German Bille (“axe”).
Onomatopoeic.
Pronunciation spelling of build.
Across languages
Translations
502 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
بِيل
(bīl)
— male given name
Arabic:
بِيل
(bil)
— male given name
Armenian:
Բիլ
(Bil)
— male given name
Bulgarian:
Бил
(Bil)
— male given name
Chinese Mandarin:
比爾 /比尔
(Bǐ'ěr)
— male given name
Dutch:
Bill
— male given name
Faroese:
Bill
— male given name
Georgian:
ბილ
(bil)
— male given name
Greek:
Μπιλ
(Bil)
— male given name
Hindi:
बिल
(bil)
— male given name
Hungarian:
Vili
— male given name
Japanese:
ビル
(Biru)
— male given name
Korean:
빌
(Bil)
— male given name
Māori:
Piri
— male given name
Persian:
بیل
(bil)
— male given name
Polish:
Bill
— male given name
Portuguese:
Bill
— male given name
Russian:
Билл
— male given name
Spanish:
Guille
— male given name
Ukrainian:
Білл
— male given name
Bulgarian:
сме́тка
(smétka)
— written inventory
Estonian:
inventar
— written inventory
Finnish:
luettelo
— written inventory
Greek:
λογαριασμός
(logariasmós)
— written inventory
Hungarian:
jegyzék
— written inventory
Hungarian:
-jegy
— written inventory
Hungarian:
-levél
— written inventory
Irish:
bille
— written inventory
Italian:
inventario
— written inventory
Italian:
manifesto
— written inventory
Portuguese:
declaração
— written inventory
Romanian:
inventar
— written inventory
Romanian:
listă
— written inventory
Russian:
счёт
(sčot)
— written inventory
Spanish:
declaración
— written inventory
Ottoman Turkish:
دفتر
(defter)
— written inventory
Ottoman Turkish:
پوصوله
(pusula)
— written inventory
Bulgarian:
декларация
(deklaracija)
— official statement
Bulgarian:
удостоверение
(udostoverenie)
— official statement
Bulgarian:
уверение
(uverenie)
— official statement
Bulgarian:
свидетелство
(svidetelstvo)
— official statement
Danish:
fortegning
— official statement
Danish:
liste
— official statement
Finnish:
julistus
— official statement
French:
note
— official statement
French:
acte
— official statement
Hungarian:
bizonyítvány
— official statement
Hungarian:
igazolás
— official statement
Irish:
bille
— official statement
Italian:
nota
— official statement
Italian:
certificato
— official statement
Italian:
polizza
— official statement
Italian:
stesura
— official statement
Portuguese:
declaração
— official statement
Romanian:
notă
— official statement
Romanian:
act
— official statement
Spanish:
nota
— official statement
Swedish:
förteckning
— official statement
Swedish:
lista
— official statement
Swedish:
intyg
— official statement
Albanian:
projektligj
— draft of a law
Arabic:
لَائِحَة
(lāʔiḥa)
— draft of a law
Armenian:
օրինագիծ
(ōrinagic)
— draft of a law
Azerbaijani:
layihə
— draft of a law
Azerbaijani:
qanun layihəsi
— draft of a law
Belarusian:
законапрае́кт
(zakonaprajékt)
— draft of a law
Belarusian:
біль
(bilʹ)
— draft of a law
Bengali:
বিল
(bil)
— draft of a law
Bulgarian:
законопрое́кт
(zakonoproékt)
— draft of a law
Bulgarian:
прое́ктозако́н
(proéktozakón)
— draft of a law
Catalan:
projecte de llei
— draft of a law
Cebuano:
balaoron
— draft of a law
Cebuano:
balaodnon
— draft of a law
Chinese Mandarin:
草案
(cǎo'àn)
— draft of a law
Chinese Mandarin:
法律案
(fǎlǜ'àn)
— draft of a law
Chinese Mandarin:
法案
(fǎ'àn)
— draft of a law
Danish:
lovforslag
— draft of a law
Dutch:
wetsontwerp
— draft of a law
Dutch:
wetsvoorstel
— draft of a law
Esperanto:
leĝopropono
— draft of a law
Estonian:
seaduseelnõu
— draft of a law
Estonian:
eelnõu
— draft of a law
Finnish:
lakiehdotus
— draft of a law
Finnish:
lakiesitys
— draft of a law
French:
projet de loi
— draft of a law
French:
proposition de loi
— draft of a law
Georgian:
კანონპროექტი
(ḳanonṗroekṭi)
— draft of a law
German:
Gesetzentwurf
— draft of a law
German:
Gesetzesentwurf
— draft of a law
German:
Gesetzesvorlage
— draft of a law
Greek:
νομοσχέδιο
(nomoschédio)
— draft of a law
Hindi:
विधेयक
(vidheyak)
— draft of a law
Hindi:
बिल
(bil)
— draft of a law
Hungarian:
törvényjavaslat
— draft of a law
Hungarian:
törvénytervezet
— draft of a law
Icelandic:
frumvarp
— draft of a law
Indonesian:
rancangan undang-undang
— draft of a law
Irish:
bille
— draft of a law
Italian:
disegno di legge
— draft of a law
Italian:
proposta di legge
— draft of a law
Japanese:
法律案
(hōritsuan)
— draft of a law
Japanese:
法案
(hōan)
— draft of a law
Kazakh:
билль
(bill)
— draft of a law
Khmer:
សេចក្តីព្រាងច្បាប់
(sackdəy priəng cbap)
— draft of a law
Korean:
법률안
(beomnyuran)
— draft of a law
Korean:
법안
(beoban)
— draft of a law
Kyrgyz:
билль
— draft of a law
Latvian:
likumprojekts
— draft of a law
Macedonian:
нацрт-закон
(nacrt-zakon)
— draft of a law
Macedonian:
законски прое́кт
(zakonski proékt)
— draft of a law
Malay:
rang undang-undang
— draft of a law
Malay:
رڠ اوندڠ٢
— draft of a law
Norwegian Bokmål:
lovforslag
— draft of a law
Norwegian Nynorsk:
lovforslag
— draft of a law
Dari:
لَایِحَه
(lāyiha)
— draft of a law
Iranian Persian:
لایِحِه
(lâyehe)
— draft of a law
Polish:
projekt ustawy
— draft of a law
Portuguese:
projeto de lei
— draft of a law
Portuguese:
proposta de lei
— draft of a law
Romanian:
proiect de lege
— draft of a law
Romanian:
propunere de lege
— draft of a law
Russian:
законопрое́кт
(zakonoproékt)
— draft of a law
Russian:
билль
(billʹ)
— draft of a law
Scottish Gaelic:
bile
— draft of a law
Serbo-Croatian:
пре́длог закона
— draft of a law
Serbo-Croatian:
прије́длог закона
— draft of a law
Serbo-Croatian:
нацрт закона
— draft of a law
Serbo-Croatian:
prédlog zakona
— draft of a law
Serbo-Croatian:
prijédlog zakona
— draft of a law
Serbo-Croatian:
nacrt zakona
— draft of a law
Spanish:
proposición de ley
— draft of a law
Spanish:
proyecto de ley
— draft of a law
Spanish:
proyecto legal
— draft of a law
Swahili:
mswada
— draft of a law
Swedish:
lagförslag
— draft of a law
Swedish:
motion
— draft of a law
Swedish:
proposition
— draft of a law
Tagalog:
panukalang batas
— draft of a law
Tajik:
лоиҳа
(loyiha)
— draft of a law
Thai:
พระราชบัญญัติ
(prá-râat-chá-ban-yàt)
— draft of a law
Thai:
ร่างพระราชบัญญัติ
(râang-prá-râat-chá-ban-yàt)
— draft of a law
Turkish:
layiha
— draft of a law
Turkish:
kanun tasarısı
— draft of a law
Turkish:
yasa tasarısı
— draft of a law
Turkish:
kanun layihası
— draft of a law
Turkish:
kanun teklifi
— draft of a law
Ukrainian:
законопрое́кт
(zakonoproékt)
— draft of a law
Ukrainian:
білль
(billʹ)
— draft of a law
Urdu:
لائِحَہ
(lāiha)
— draft of a law
Urdu:
بِل
(bil)
— draft of a law
Uyghur:
لايىھە
(layihe)
— draft of a law
Uzbek:
loyiha
— draft of a law
Vietnamese:
dự luật
— draft of a law
Vietnamese:
dự thảo
— draft of a law
Welsh:
mesur
— draft of a law
Chinese Mandarin:
法案
(fǎ'àn)
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Finnish:
kanne
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
French:
greffe
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Greek:
κατηγορητήριο
(katigoritírio)
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Greek:
εγκλητήριο
(egklitírio)
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Hindi:
विधेयक
(vidheyak)
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Hungarian:
vádirat
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Irish:
bille
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Italian:
denuncia
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Kazakh:
билль
(bill)
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Romanian:
plângere
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant
Russian:
заявле́ние
(zajavlénije)
— law: declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant