fill
♦♦ fill /f'ɪl/ (fills filling filled)
1 [VERB] V n with n, V n, V with n, V
If you fill a container or area, or if it fills, an amount of something enters it that is enough to make it full.
Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a slow boil...
She made sandwiches, filled a flask and put sugar in...
The boy's eyes filled with tears...
While the bath was filling, he padded about in his underpants.
≠ empty
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P with n, also V P, V P n (not pron)
Fill up means the same as fill.
Pass me your cup, Amy, and I'll fill it up for you...
Warehouses at the frontier between the two countries fill up with sacks of rice and flour.
2 [VERB] V n, V n
If something fills a space, it is so big, or there are such large quantities of it, that there is very little room left.
He cast his eyes at the rows of cabinets that filled the enormous work area...
The text fills 231 pages.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
Fill up means the same as fill.
...the complicated machines that fill up today's laboratories.
● filled [ADJ] v-link ADJ with n
...four museum buildings filled with historical objects.
● -filled [COMB in ADJ]
...the flower-filled courtyard of an old Spanish colonial house.
3 [VERB] V n with n, V n
If you fill a crack or hole, you put a substance into it in order to make the surface smooth again.
Fill small holes with wood filler in a matching colour...
The gravedigger filled the grave.
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, also V P n (not pron)
Fill in means the same as fill.
If any cracks have appeared in the tart case, fill these in with raw pastry.
4 [VERB] V n, V n with n
If a sound, smell, or light fills a space, or the air, it is very strong or noticeable.
In the parking lot of the school, the siren filled the air...
All the light bars were turned on which filled the room with these rotating beams of light...
● -filled [COMB in ADJ]
...those whose work forces them to be in dusty or smoke-filled environments.
5 [VERB] V n with n, V n
If something fills you with an emotion, or if an emotion fills you, you experience this emotion strongly.
I admired my father, and his work filled me with awe and curiosity...
He looked at me without speaking, and for the first time I could see the pride that filled him...
6 [VERB] V n, also V n with n
If you fill a period of time with a particular activity, you spend the time in this way.
If she wants a routine to fill her day, let her do community work.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
Fill up means the same as fill.
On Thursday night she went to her yoga class, glad to have something to fill up the evening.
7 [VERB] V n
If something fills a need or a gap, it puts an end to this need or gap by existing or being active.
She brought him a sense of fun, of gaiety that filled a gap in his life.
8 [VERB] V n
If something fills a role, position, or function, they have that role or position, or perform that function, often successfully.
Dena was filling the role of diplomat's wife with the skill she had learned over the years.
= perform
9 [VERB] V n, V n
If a company or organization fills a job vacancy, they choose someone to do the job. If someone fills a job vacancy, they accept a job that they have been offered.
One problem not mentioned is the unemployed may not have the skills to fill the vacancies on offer...
A vacancy has arisen which I intend to fill.
10 [VERB] V n
When a dentist fills someone's tooth, he or she puts a filling in it.
It is almost impossible to find a dentist who will fill a tooth on the National Health.
11 [VERB] V n
If you fill an order or a prescription, you provide the things that are asked for. (mainly AM)
A pharmacist can fill any prescription if, in his or her judgment, the prescription is valid.
12
to fill the bill: see billfill in
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you fill in a form or other document requesting information, you write information in the spaces on it. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use fill out)
If you want your free copy of the Patients' Charter fill this form in...
Fill in the coupon and send it first class to the address shown.
= fill out
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you fill in a shape, you cover the area inside the lines with colour or shapes so that none of the background is showing.
When you have both filled in your patterns, you may want to share these with each other...
With a lip pencil, outline lips and fill them in.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V n P on n
If you fill someone in, you give them more details about something that you know about. (INFORMAL)
I didn't give Reid all the details yet-I'll fill him in...
He filled her in on Wilbur Kantor's visit.
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P for n
If you fill in for someone, you do the work or task that they normally do because they are unable to do it.
Vice-presidents' wives would fill in for first ladies.
= stand in
5 [PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, V P n (not pron)
If you are filling in time, you are using time that is available by doing something that is not very important.
That's not a career. She's just filling in time until she gets married.
6
see also fill 3fill out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you fill out a form or other document requesting information, you write information in the spaces on it. (mainly AM; in BRIT, usually use fill in)
Fill out the application carefully, and keep copies of it.
= fill in
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If a fairly thin person fills out, they become fatter.
A girl may fill out before she reaches her full height.fill up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P on/with n, V pron-refl P with n
If you fill up or fill yourself up with food, you eat so much that you do not feel hungry.
Fill up on potatoes, bread and pasta, which are high in carbohydrate and low in fat...
When you are happy about yourself you won't need to fill yourself up with food.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P
A type of food that fills you up makes you feel that you have eaten a lot, even though you have only eaten a small amount.
Potatoes fill us up without overloading us with calories.
3
see also fill 1, 2, 6
1 [VERB] V n with n, V n, V with n, V
If you fill a container or area, or if it fills, an amount of something enters it that is enough to make it full.
Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a slow boil...
She made sandwiches, filled a flask and put sugar in...
The boy's eyes filled with tears...
While the bath was filling, he padded about in his underpants.
≠ empty
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P with n, also V P, V P n (not pron)
Fill up means the same as fill.
Pass me your cup, Amy, and I'll fill it up for you...
Warehouses at the frontier between the two countries fill up with sacks of rice and flour.
2 [VERB] V n, V n
If something fills a space, it is so big, or there are such large quantities of it, that there is very little room left.
He cast his eyes at the rows of cabinets that filled the enormous work area...
The text fills 231 pages.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
Fill up means the same as fill.
...the complicated machines that fill up today's laboratories.
● filled [ADJ] v-link ADJ with n
...four museum buildings filled with historical objects.
● -filled [COMB in ADJ]
...the flower-filled courtyard of an old Spanish colonial house.
3 [VERB] V n with n, V n
If you fill a crack or hole, you put a substance into it in order to make the surface smooth again.
Fill small holes with wood filler in a matching colour...
The gravedigger filled the grave.
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, also V P n (not pron)
Fill in means the same as fill.
If any cracks have appeared in the tart case, fill these in with raw pastry.
4 [VERB] V n, V n with n
If a sound, smell, or light fills a space, or the air, it is very strong or noticeable.
In the parking lot of the school, the siren filled the air...
All the light bars were turned on which filled the room with these rotating beams of light...
● -filled [COMB in ADJ]
...those whose work forces them to be in dusty or smoke-filled environments.
5 [VERB] V n with n, V n
If something fills you with an emotion, or if an emotion fills you, you experience this emotion strongly.
I admired my father, and his work filled me with awe and curiosity...
He looked at me without speaking, and for the first time I could see the pride that filled him...
6 [VERB] V n, also V n with n
If you fill a period of time with a particular activity, you spend the time in this way.
If she wants a routine to fill her day, let her do community work.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
Fill up means the same as fill.
On Thursday night she went to her yoga class, glad to have something to fill up the evening.
7 [VERB] V n
If something fills a need or a gap, it puts an end to this need or gap by existing or being active.
She brought him a sense of fun, of gaiety that filled a gap in his life.
8 [VERB] V n
If something fills a role, position, or function, they have that role or position, or perform that function, often successfully.
Dena was filling the role of diplomat's wife with the skill she had learned over the years.
= perform
9 [VERB] V n, V n
If a company or organization fills a job vacancy, they choose someone to do the job. If someone fills a job vacancy, they accept a job that they have been offered.
One problem not mentioned is the unemployed may not have the skills to fill the vacancies on offer...
A vacancy has arisen which I intend to fill.
10 [VERB] V n
When a dentist fills someone's tooth, he or she puts a filling in it.
It is almost impossible to find a dentist who will fill a tooth on the National Health.
11 [VERB] V n
If you fill an order or a prescription, you provide the things that are asked for. (mainly AM)
A pharmacist can fill any prescription if, in his or her judgment, the prescription is valid.
12
to fill the bill: see billfill in
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you fill in a form or other document requesting information, you write information in the spaces on it. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use fill out)
If you want your free copy of the Patients' Charter fill this form in...
Fill in the coupon and send it first class to the address shown.
= fill out
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you fill in a shape, you cover the area inside the lines with colour or shapes so that none of the background is showing.
When you have both filled in your patterns, you may want to share these with each other...
With a lip pencil, outline lips and fill them in.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V n P on n
If you fill someone in, you give them more details about something that you know about. (INFORMAL)
I didn't give Reid all the details yet-I'll fill him in...
He filled her in on Wilbur Kantor's visit.
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P for n
If you fill in for someone, you do the work or task that they normally do because they are unable to do it.
Vice-presidents' wives would fill in for first ladies.
= stand in
5 [PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, V P n (not pron)
If you are filling in time, you are using time that is available by doing something that is not very important.
That's not a career. She's just filling in time until she gets married.
6
see also fill 3fill out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you fill out a form or other document requesting information, you write information in the spaces on it. (mainly AM; in BRIT, usually use fill in)
Fill out the application carefully, and keep copies of it.
= fill in
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If a fairly thin person fills out, they become fatter.
A girl may fill out before she reaches her full height.fill up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P on/with n, V pron-refl P with n
If you fill up or fill yourself up with food, you eat so much that you do not feel hungry.
Fill up on potatoes, bread and pasta, which are high in carbohydrate and low in fat...
When you are happy about yourself you won't need to fill yourself up with food.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P
A type of food that fills you up makes you feel that you have eaten a lot, even though you have only eaten a small amount.
Potatoes fill us up without overloading us with calories.
3
see also fill 1, 2, 6