Bill Meaning
Bill Definition & Usage
A statement of money owed for goods or services received, or a written or printed notice of such charges.
Examples
- "I need to pay the electricity bill before the end of the month."
- "The waiter handed us the bill after we finished our meal."
- "She received a bill for the repairs to her car."
- "The company sent me a bill for the subscription I forgot to cancel."
- "Don't forget to check your phone bill for any extra charges."
A proposed law that is presented for debate or consideration by a legislative body.
Examples
- "The government passed a new bill to improve healthcare."
- "The senator introduced a bill to increase taxes on the wealthy."
- "The bill was debated for several hours before being voted on."
- "The new bill on environmental regulations will be discussed next week."
- "They lobbied against the bill, arguing it would harm small businesses."
To send or present a bill to someone, requesting payment.
Examples
- "The hotel will bill you for your stay at the end of the week."
- "They billed me for the additional services I didn't ask for."
- "You can bill your clients once the project is completed."
- "Make sure to bill the customer correctly for the services rendered."
- "The company billed us for the extra shipment charges."
A list of items or things, sometimes informally referred to as a 'bill' when it's an informal list of charges or requests.
Examples
- "The concert was amazing; I got the bill for the merchandise afterwards."
- "She gave me the bill for our coffee at the café."
- "When he checked the bill for the party, he was shocked by how much it cost."
- "The bill for the tickets was more than I expected."
- "We settled the bill for all the extras at the restaurant."
Cultural Context
The word 'bill' has evolved over time, originally meaning 'a written document or statement' in Old English. Over the centuries, it came to signify a statement of charges, and later, its use expanded into legislative contexts, where it refers to proposed laws.
The Legislative Bill
Story
The Legislative Bill
Amelia sat at the dining table, carefully going over the bill she had just received from the restaurant. It was more than she had expected, and she was starting to feel uneasy about the high cost of the evening. Meanwhile, in the government offices downtown, a group of senators were debating a new healthcare bill that had been introduced earlier in the week. They were all passionate about its potential impact, but some of them felt it was too costly for the taxpayers. Amelia thought about these two different types of bills as she signed the check to pay for her dinner. One bill, for her meal, would be settled within minutes, but the other, a proposed law, could take years to fully resolve. It was strange how both types of bills, one in her hand and one in the government’s chamber, could carry so much weight and consequence. She paid the bill with a sigh and left the restaurant, her mind still on the evening’s discussions, and the different kinds of bills people had to face every day.
Related Words
