bill

bill
\ \ There are three distinct words bill in English (not counting the proper name), and of them all, the most recent is the commonest. Billnote of charges’ [14] comes from Anglo-Latin billa, which is probably a variant of Latin bulladocument, seal’ (as in ‘papal bull’). English billet [15], as in ‘billeting soldiers on a house’, was originally a diminutive form of billa (French billetletter’ comes from the same source). Billhook-bladed weapon’ [OE], now found mainly in billhook, comes from a prehistoric West Germanic *bilja, which may be based ultimately on Indo-European *bhid-, source of English bite. Billbeak’ [OE] may be related to billweapon’, but this is not clear. The verbal sense ‘caress’, as in ‘bill and coo’, is 16th-century; it arose from the courting behaviour of doves stroking each other’s beaks.
\ \ Cf.BILLET

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • bill — bill …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • bill — n 1: a draft of a law presented to a legislature for enactment; also: the law itself the GI bill ap·pro·pri·a·tions bill /ə ˌprō prē ā shənz /: a bill providing money for government expenses and programs ◇ Appropriations bills originate in the… …   Law dictionary

  • Bill — Bill, n. [OE. bill, bille, fr. LL. billa (or OF. bille), for L. bulla anything rounded, LL., seal, stamp, letter, edict, roll; cf. F. bille a ball, prob. fr. Ger.; cf. MHG. bickel, D. bikkel, dice. Cf. {Bull} papal edict, {Billet} a paper.] [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bill — may refer to: Objects * Billboard (advertising), a board on which to display advertising posters or displays * Billhook, a long handled saw (sometimes weapon) with a curved blade * BILL Anti tank guided weapon, a Swedish anti tank weapon * BILL 2 …   Wikipedia

  • bill — [ bil ] n. m. • 1669; mot angl. ♦ Projet de loi du Parlement anglais. Rejeter un bill. Des bills. Par ext. La loi votée. ⊗ HOM. Bile. ● bill nom masculin (anglais bill, calque de l ancien français bulle, boule servant de sceau) En Grande Bretagne …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Bill — Bill, Max * * * (as used in expressions) Bill of Rights (Declaración de derechos) Bill, Max Blass, Bill Bradley, Bill Brandt, Bill Clinton, Bill Buffalo Bill Cosby, Bill …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Bill C-27 — is proposing changes to Canadian laws, so they are more current with the issue of identity theft. A [http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=3125690 file=4 bilingual copy of the Bill] is available on the Parliament of… …   Wikipedia

  • bill — Ⅰ. bill [1] ► NOUN 1) a printed or written statement of the money owed for goods or services. 2) a draft of a proposed law presented to parliament for discussion. 3) a programme of entertainment at a theatre or cinema. 4) N. Amer. a banknote. 5)… …   English terms dictionary

  • Bill — ist: Bill Allred Creek, ein Fluss im US Bundesstaat Utah Bill (Wyoming), Ort in den Vereinigten Staaten ein Filmtitel, siehe Bill (Film) ein Vorname, siehe Bill (Vorname) eine Bezeichnung für Nutzer von FON eine Panzerabwehrwaffe, siehe BILL Bill …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • bill —    ♦ bill broker, dealer in bills of exchange.    ♦ bill of adventure, declaration that merchandise shipped is not property of shipowner, whose liability is limited to safe delivery.    ♦ bill of costs, solicitor s account of charges.    ♦ bill… …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • Bill — Bill, n. [OE. bil, AS. bill, bil; akin to OS. bil sword, OHG. bill pickax, G. bille. Cf. {Bill} bea?.] 1. A cutting instrument, with hook shaped point, and fitted with a handle; used in pruning, etc.; a billhook. When short, called a hand bill,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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