bill (redirected from fill the bill)

bill and coo (old-fashioned)

if you bill and coo with someone you love, you talk quietly to them and kiss them. I don't know why they bother to come out if they're going to spend all their time billing and cooing. (often in continuous tenses)

a clean bill of health

if you give someone or something a clean bill of health, you examine them and state that they are healthy, in good condition, or legal. John will have to stay at home until the doctors give him a clean bill of health. Of 30 countries inspected for airline safety only 17 received a clean bill of health.

See also: clean, health

fit the bill (British, American & Australian, American & Australian)

to have the qualities or experience which are needed. I'm looking for someone with several years of publishing experience and you seem to fit the bill. The city needs a strong leader, and the new mayor just doesn't fill the bill.

See also: fit

foot the bill

to pay for something. Who's going to foot the bill for all the repairs? (often + for)

See also: foot

the Old Bill (British, informal, old-fashioned)

the police. The Old Bill was round here yesterday, asking where you were.

See also: old

pick up the bill/tab (informal)

to pay for something, often something that is not your responsibility. When we go out for dinner it's always Jack who picks up the bill. It's the taxpayer who picks up the tab for all these crazy government schemes. (often + for)

See also: pick, tab

sell someone a bill of goods (American)

to make someone believe something that is not true. Politicians have sold all of us a bill of goods, that if we put more people in prison we're going to be safer. The electrician said I'd need the outdoor lighting on a different circuit - is he just selling me a bill of goods?

See also: good, sell

a whale of a [bill/difference/problem etc.] (American & Australian)

a very large bill, difference, problem etc.. Another thousand dollars would make a whale of a difference. We ran up a whale of a bill in the restaurant.

See also: difference, problem, whale

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a clean bill of health

1. news that an organization is operating correctly. The airline received a clean bill of health from federal investigators.

2. news that you are healthy or well. Johnson was given a clean bill of health by his doctors earlier this month.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of a clean bill of health (= a statement from a health official that all the people working on a ship are in good health)

See also: clean, health

fit the bill

to have the qualities or experience that are needed. If you want quieter entertainment, there are many excellent museums in town that will fit the bill.

See also: fit

foot the bill

1. to pay all the costs for something. We ended up having to foot the bill for a new roof because our insurance didn't cover storm damage.

2. to pay money owed. Who's going to foot the bill for all the repairs?

See also: foot

pick up the bill (for something)

pick up the tab (for something)

See also: pick

sell someone a bill of goods

to lie about something. He sold the FBI a bill of goods to stay out of jail himself.

See also: good, sell