a written statement that tells you how much money you must pay for goods or services
After fixing the sink, the plumber gave us the bill.
The electricity bill arrives at the beginning of every month.
a piece of paper money such as a one-dollar or twenty-dollar note
He slipped a ten-dollar bill into the tip jar.
Grandma gave each grandchild a crisp new bill for the holiday.
the hard, pointed mouth part of a bird or similar animal, also called a beak
The pelican’s large bill can hold a lot of water and fish.
The parrot cracked the nut with its strong bill.
to send someone a statement saying how much money they must pay for goods or services
The mechanic will bill you after the repairs are complete.
They billed the company for travel expenses.
a written proposal for a new law that is presented to a parliament or congress for discussion
Parliament will vote on the education bill next week.
The senator introduced a bill to improve healthcare access.
a printed or online notice that advertises or lists who will perform or what will be shown, especially in a theater or at a cinema
Her name appeared at the top of the concert bill.
The double-feature bill included two classic horror films.
an extremely large but unspecified number of things; used hyperbolically
I’ve told you a billion times to close the door.
There are a billion stars in the sky tonight, or so it seems.
✦ Extension of the literal numerical sense to a figurative one for emphasis, attested from the early 1900s.
(dated, long scale) the number 1 000 000 000 000 (one million million)
In Victorian Britain, a billion represented a million million.
An 1890s economics textbook defines a billion as 10¹².
✦ From French “billion” (million million). Retained this value in British English until the late 20th century.
