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Bill

(British, slang) A nickname for the British constabulary.

bɪlSilenthistoricalCurrent223 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
6 definitions
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Seen in the wild
4 citations · last seen May 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

UK
#1·Apr 26, 2026UK

(British, slang) A nickname for the British constabulary. Often called "The Bill" or "Old Bill".

Bill Essayli, Trump’s pick in April to temporarily lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, should have departed the post by July 31 under a 120-day limit imposed by federal law, U.S. District Judge J. Mich…
Origin: 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. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"Bill" means a nickname for the british constabulary. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.

For ESL learners

"Bill" is informal English meaning a nickname for the british constabulary. It is mainly heard in British English (and Irish English). A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a nickname for the british constabulary" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "Bill" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.

Heard in the wild
  • “How to get free money for your LED lighting upgrade — a complete commercial lighting rebate guide A real business. A real $0 bill. A real $80K in annual savings. Colo-Rite, a mid-size commercial facility in New Jersey. Read more: www.tripoto.com/trip/how-to-...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “BILL COSPONSOR: 1: 🟥Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]R”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “BILL UPDATE: S.1769: Farmer to Farmer Education Act of 2025 ACTION: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. #congress #education”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “‘Everybody deserves a chance’: Former President Bill Clinton returns to Little Rock to deliver commencement address”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Over time, Gates reduced his role at Microsoft to focus on his philanthropic work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world's largest private charitable organization, which he and his then-wife, Melinda French Gates, co-chaired from 2000 until 2024.”

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Global
#2·May 3, 2026Global

Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer

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Global
#3·May 3, 2026Global

Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States)

Heard in the wild
  • “Please help [improve this article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Bill_(law) "Special:EditPage/Bill (law)") by [adding citations to reliable sources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners "Help:Referencing for beginners").”

  • “[Jump to content](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill.com#bodyContent) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia American technology company "BILL" redirects here.”

  • “Share your story here and journalists from KFF Health News may investigate it.](https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2018/02/16/585549568/share-your-medical-bill) [![Since 2018, “Bill of the Month” has investigated medical bills totaling almost $6.3 million — including nearly $2.8 million that patients were expected to pay out-of-pocket.”

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Global
#4·May 3, 2026Global

Bill, a bird or animal's beak

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Global
#5·May 3, 2026Global

Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature

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Global
#6·May 3, 2026Global

Bill, Wyoming, an unincorporated community, United States

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For specific readers

"Bill" means a nickname for the british constabulary. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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GlobalUK

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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.

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