Meanings
fill1
present singular third person fills · participle present filling · participle past filled · past filled
- To make full
- ergativetransitiveTo add contents to (a container, cavity, or the like) so that it is full.
She filled a glass with milk.
5 more examples
dreams filled with surreal imagery
My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats. I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.
1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter III, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLCShe continued to frown as she filled Bony's cup and added brandy to her own.
1950, Arthur W. Upfield, chapter 11, in The Bachelors of Broken HillShe forgave him the pain as he filled the cavity in her back molar. Three weeks later, she let him fill a more intimate cavity.
2005, Wendy Coakley-Thompson, What You Won't Do for Love, published 2006, →ISBN, page 10Grat Herendeen was the first man, a huge man with his bull whip coiled and over his shoulder seeming almost a part of him. He grinned at her as she filled his plate with the eggs and motioned toward the bacon. "Help yourself, Grat."
2006, Gilbert Morris, Sante Fe Woman, B&H, page 95Synonyms: stop
- ergativetransitiveTo enter (something), making it full.
The doors opened and guests filled the auditorium.
2 more examples
In the evening of the 14th of July, there was a rainfall of 3 or 3½ inches in that locality. The water filled the ditch so full that it overflowed the levees on both sides in many places […] .
1910 May 13, John C. Sherwin, opinion, Delashmutt et al. v. Chicago, B. & Q. R. Co. et al., reprinted in volume 126, North Western Reporter, page 359, at 360As the crowd filled the aisles, S repeated loudly what he had announced upon entering the stadium: 'I don't want anyone to touch me, and I will call the police if anyone does.'
2004, Peter Westen, The Logic of Consent, Ashgate, →ISBN, page 322 - ergativetransitiveTo occupy fully, to take up all of.
The smell of spring filled the air.
2 more examples
[…]the drums began to thunder, the sound of trumpets filled the air, the earth trembled beneath their feet, and the hearts of the gazing multitude throbbed with suspense and expectation[…]
c. 1761, Tobias Smollett, transl., Don Quixote, part 2, book 5, chapter 4And now that I have given the one chapter to the theme that so filled my heart, and so often made it ache and ache again, I pass on, unhindered, to the event that had impended over me longer yet[…].
1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter XXXVIII, in Great Expectations […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLCSynonyms: pervade
- intransitivecavities; or the like; cavities; or the likeTo become full.
The sails fill with wind
2 more examples
The bucket filled with rain
The room filled with thick smoke.
- intransitiveTo become pervaded with something.
My heart filled with joy.
- transitiveTo satisfy or meet (as, an order, request, or requirement).
The pharmacist filled my prescription for penicillin.
2 more examples
We can't let the library close! It fills a great need in the community.
To qualify for a home loan, you need to fill a number of requirements.
- transitiveTo install someone, or be installed, in (a position or office), eliminating a vacancy.
Sorry, no more applicants. The position has been filled.
1 more example
The board of supervisors called a specal election to fill the office, and at such special election Henry C. Andrews was elected judge of probate to fill out the said term.
1891 January 23, Allen Morse, opinion, Lawrence v. Hanley, reprinted in volume 47, Northwestern Reporter, page 753, at 755 - transitiveTo treat (a tooth) by adding a dental filling to it.
Dr. Smith filled Jim's cavity with silver amalgam.
1 more example
Be that as it may, had the disturbance continued after our having filled the molar, and presuming that nothing had been done to the bicuspid, we might have been still as far as ever from knowing where the trouble lay.
a. 1891, "Intimate Diagnosis of Diseased Teeth", in Items of Interest: A Monthly Magazine of Dental Art, Science and Literature, volume 13, number 11, November 1891, page 657 http://google.com/books?id=eS21AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA657&dq=%22filled+the+molar%22 - transitiveTo supply fully with food; to feed; to satisfy.
Are all the children filled and ready for bed?
2 more examples
Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 15:33Things that are sweet and fat are more filling.
1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC - slangtransitivevulgarTo have sexual intercourse with (a female).
Did you fill that girl last night?
Synonyms: dick
- slangtransitivevulgarTo ejaculate inside someone or something.
fill2
plural fills
- countableuncountableA sufficient or more than sufficient amount.
Don't feed him any more: he's had his fill.
1 more example
Then they set somewhat of food before me, whereof I ate my fill, and gave me somewhat of clothes wherewith I clad myself anew and covered my nakedness; after which they took me up into the ship, […]
1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - countableuncountableAn amount that fills a container.
The mixer returned to the plant for another fill.
- countableuncountableThe filling of a container or area.
That machine can do 20 fills per minute.
1 more example
This paint program supports lines, circles, and textured fills.
- countableuncountableInexpensive material used to occupy empty spaces, especially in construction.
The ruins of earlier buildings were used as fill for more recent construction.
1 more example
Strippage from a borrow area was first treated as waste, under the contract, but after passage of time was suitable for fill and was so used.
1946, Digest of the Decisions of the Corps of Engineers Board of Contract Appeals, page 101 - countableuncountablearchaeologySoil and/or human-created debris discovered within a cavity or cut in the layers and exposed by excavation; fill soil.
- countableuncountableAn embankment, as in railroad construction, to fill a hollow or ravine; also, the place which is to be filled.
- countableuncountableentertainmentA short passage, riff, or rhythmic sound that helps to keep the listener's attention during a break between the phrases of a melody.
bass fill
1 more example
The second part of recomposed Embroidering Golden Banner achieves the brightness and cheerfulness of music, and presents a cheerful passion through sanda playing methods such as left-hind octave fills, right-hand echo decoration, and encircled decoration.
2015, Dawei Zheng, Control, Mechatronics and Automation Technology, →ISBN - abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountablebroadcastingEllipsis of fill light.
- countableuncountablecrosswordingThe answers in a crossword puzzle that are not part of the theme.
fill3
plural fills
- One of the thills or shafts of a carriage.
It was a challenge to learn to harness him, guide him slowly back between the fills of the carriage, then to fasten the right buckles and snaps, making the harness and buggy all ready for travel to church or to town.
2008, Martha E. Green, Pioneers in Pith Helmets
Fill4
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo add contents to (a container, cavity, or the like) so that it is full.
verbTo occupy fully, to take up all of.
verbTo have sexual intercourse with (a female).
antonym(s) of “add contents to a container or cavity”
More synonyms by meaning
verbfill, satisfy or meet a want or need or condition or restriction
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
fill · verb
- Proto-Indo-European*pl̥h₁nós“full”
- Proto-Germanic*fullijaną“to make full, fill”
- Proto-West Germanic*fullijan
- Old Englishfyllan“to fill, fill up, replenish, satisfy; complete, fulfill”
- Middle Englishfillen
- Englishfill
From Middle English fillen, fullen, from Old English fyllan (“to fill, fill up, replenish, satisfy; complete, fulfill”), from Proto-West Germanic *fullijan, from Proto-Germanic *fullijaną (“to make full, fill”), from *fullaz (“full”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós (“full”). Cognate with Scots fill (“to fill”), West Frisian folje (“to fill”), Low German füllen (“to fill”), Dutch vullen (“to fill”), German füllen (“to fill”), Danish fylde (“to fill”), Swedish fylla (“to fill”), Norwegian fylle (“to fill”), Icelandic fylla (“to fill”) and Latin plenus (“full”)
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →fill · noun
- Proto-Germanic*fullį̄“fullness”
- Proto-West Germanic*fullī
- Old Englishfyllu
- Middle Englishfille
- Englishfill
From Middle English fille, vülle, fülle, from Old English fyllu, from Proto-West Germanic *fullī, from Proto-Germanic *fullį̄ (“fullness”). Cognate with German Fülle.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Fill · proper noun
From a medieval diminutive of the given name Philip.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek πίμπλημι, πληρόω
- πίμπλημι (pímplēmi)add contents to, so it is full
- πληρόω (plēróō)add contents to, so it is full
- μεστόω (mestóō)add contents to, so it is full
Arabic مَلَأَ, مَلَأَ
- مَلَأَ (malaʔa)add contents to, so it is full
- مَلَأَ (malaʔa)occupy fully, take up all of
- اِمْتَلأَbecome full of contents
Bengali ভরা
- ভরা (bhora)add contents to, so it is full
Bulgarian пълня, изпълвам
- пълня (pălnja)add contents to, so it is full
- изпълвам (izpălvam)add contents to, so it is full
- изпълня (izpălnja)add contents to, so it is full
- запълвам (zapălvam)add contents to, so it is full
- запълня (zapălnja)add contents to, so it is full
- запълвам (zapălvam)enter, making it full
- запълвам (zapălvam)occupy fully, take up all of
- изпълвам се (izpălvam se)become pervaded with something
- заемам (zaemam)install someone or be installed in
- заема (zaema)install someone or be installed in
- пломбирам (plombiram)treat (a tooth)
- напълня (napălnja)vulgar: to ejaculate inside
- достатъчно количество (dostatăčno količestvo)sufficient or more than sufficient amount
- запълване (zapălvane)amount that fills a container
- запълване (zapălvane)filling of a container
- пълнеж (pălnež)something used to occupy empty spaces
Catalan emplenar, omplir
- emplenaradd contents to, so it is full
- ompliroccupy fully, take up all of
- empastartreat (a tooth)
Chinese Mandarin 裝滿 /装满, 填滿 /填满
- 裝滿 /装满 (zhuāngmǎn)add contents to, so it is full
- 填滿 /填满 (tiánmǎn)add contents to, so it is full
- 裝滿 /装满 (zhuāngmǎn)occupy fully, take up all of
Czech vyplnit
- vyplnitoccupy fully, take up all of
Dutch vullen, opvullen
- vullenadd contents to, so it is full
- opvullenadd contents to, so it is full
- vullenenter, making it full
- vullenoccupy fully, take up all of
- vervullenbecome pervaded with something
- gevuld worden metbecome pervaded with something
- invulleninstall someone or be installed in
- vullentreat (a tooth)
- vollopenbecome full of contents
- vervullensatisfy, obey
- ladingamount that fills a container
- vulselsomething used to occupy empty spaces
- vullingsomething used to occupy empty spaces
Esperanto plenigi, enspaci
- plenigiadd contents to, so it is full
- enspacioccupy fully, take up all of
Finnish täyttää, täyttää
- täyttääadd contents to, so it is full
- täyttääoccupy fully, take up all of
- paikatatreat (a tooth)
- täyttyäbecome full of contents
- tarpeeksisufficient or more than sufficient amount
- täyttöamount that fills a container
- täyttöfilling of a container
- täytesomething used to occupy empty spaces
- täyteainesomething used to occupy empty spaces
French remplir, remplir
- rempliradd contents to, so it is full
- rempliroccupy fully, take up all of
- comblerinstall someone or be installed in
- se remplirbecome full of contents
German füllen, füllen
- füllenadd contents to, so it is full
- füllenoccupy fully, take up all of
- ausfüllenoccupy fully, take up all of
- sich füllenbecome pervaded with something
- besetzeninstall someone or be installed in
- füllentreat (a tooth)
- sich füllenbecome full of contents
- Füllungamount that fills a container
- Füllungfilling of a container
- Füllmaterialsomething used to occupy empty spaces
Greek γεμίζω, σφραγίζω
- γεμίζω (gemízo)add contents to, so it is full
- σφραγίζω (sfragízo)treat (a tooth)
Hebrew מִלָּא, התמלא
- מִלָּא (millá)add contents to, so it is full
- התמלא (hitmalé)become full of contents
- מָלֵא (malé)become full of contents
Hungarian megtölt, betölt
- megtöltadd contents to, so it is full
- betöltenter, making it full
- megtöltoccupy fully, take up all of
- megtelikbecome pervaded with something
- betelikinstall someone or be installed in
- betömtreat (a tooth)
- megtelikbecome full of contents
- kielégítsatisfy, obey
Icelandic fylla, fylla
- fyllaadd contents to, so it is full
- fyllaoccupy fully, take up all of
- fyllastbecome pervaded with something
- fyllastbecome full of contents
Indonesian urukan
- urukansomething used to occupy empty spaces
Irish líon, líon
- líonadd contents to, so it is full
- líonenter, making it full
- líonoccupy fully, take up all of
- líonbecome full of contents
- sáithsufficient or more than sufficient amount
Italian imbottire, riempire
- imbottireadd contents to, so it is full
- riempireadd contents to, so it is full
- occupare interamenteoccupy fully, take up all of
- occupare pienamenteoccupy fully, take up all of
- occupare completamenteoccupy fully, take up all of
- riempireoccupy fully, take up all of
Japanese 満たす, 一杯にする
- 満たす (mitasu)add contents to, so it is full
- 一杯にする (ippai ni suru)add contents to, so it is full
- 埋める (umeru)enter, making it full
- 溢れる (afureru)occupy fully, take up all of
- 満ちる (michiru)become full of contents
- 一杯になる (ippai ni naru)become full of contents
Korean 채우다
- 채우다 (chae'uda)add contents to, so it is full
Latin pleō, pleo
- pleōadd contents to, so it is full
- pleosufficient or more than sufficient amount
Latvian pildīt
- pildītoccupy fully, take up all of
Lithuanian pi̇̀ldyti
- pi̇̀ldytiadd contents to, so it is full
Malay tambakan
- tambakansomething used to occupy empty spaces
Māori whakakī, tiriwā
- whakakīadd contents to, so it is full
- tiriwāinstall someone or be installed in
Polish napełniać, napełnić
- napełniaćadd contents to, so it is full
- napełnićadd contents to, so it is full
- wypełniaćadd contents to, so it is full
- wypełnićadd contents to, so it is full
- napełniaćoccupy fully, take up all of
- napełnićoccupy fully, take up all of
- zapełniaćoccupy fully, take up all of
- zapełnićoccupy fully, take up all of
Portuguese encher, encher
- encheradd contents to, so it is full
- encherenter, making it full
- encheroccupy fully, take up all of
- restaurartreat (a tooth)
- encherbecome full of contents
Romanian a umple, împlini
- a umpleadd contents to, so it is full
- împliniadd contents to, so it is full
- plombatreat (a tooth)
Russian заполня́ть, запо́лнить
- заполня́ть (zapolnjátʹ)add contents to, so it is full
- запо́лнить (zapólnitʹ)add contents to, so it is full
- наполня́ть (napolnjátʹ)add contents to, so it is full
- напо́лнить (napólnitʹ)add contents to, so it is full
- заполня́ть (zapolnjátʹ)enter, making it full
- запо́лнить (zapólnitʹ)enter, making it full
- заполня́ть (zapolnjátʹ)occupy fully, take up all of
- запо́лнить (zapólnitʹ)occupy fully, take up all of
- наполня́ть (napolnjátʹ)occupy fully, take up all of
- напо́лнить (napólnitʹ)occupy fully, take up all of
- заполня́ться (zapolnjátʹsja)become pervaded with something
- запо́лниться (zapólnitʹsja)become pervaded with something
Scottish Gaelic sàsaich, sàsaich
- sàsaichadd contents to, so it is full
- sàsaichenter, making it full
- sàthsufficient or more than sufficient amount
- leòrsufficient or more than sufficient amount
Slovak naplniť, napĺňať
- naplniťadd contents to, so it is full
- napĺňaťadd contents to, so it is full
- vyplniťadd contents to, so it is full
- vypĺňaťadd contents to, so it is full
- zaplniťenter, making it full
- zapĺňaťenter, making it full
- zaplniťoccupy fully, take up all of
- zapĺňaťoccupy fully, take up all of
- naplniť sabecome pervaded with something
- napĺňať sabecome pervaded with something
- obsadiťinstall someone or be installed in
- obsadzovaťinstall someone or be installed in
Spanish llenar, implar
- llenaradd contents to, so it is full
- implaradd contents to, so it is full
- amacizaradd contents to, so it is full
- macizaradd contents to, so it is full
- llenaroccupy fully, take up all of
- ocuparinstall someone or be installed in
- empastartreat (a tooth)
- llenarsatisfy, obey
- repostajefilling of a container
- rellenosomething used to occupy empty spaces
Swedish fylla, fylla
- fyllaadd contents to, so it is full
- fyllaenter, making it full
- fyllaoccupy fully, take up all of
- fyllasbecome full of contents
Thai ทำให้เต็ม
- ทำให้เต็มadd contents to, so it is full
Turkish doldurmak, dolmak
- doldurmakadd contents to, so it is full
- dolmakbecome full of contents
Ukrainian запо́внювати, заповня́ти
- запо́внювати (zapóvnjuvaty)occupy fully, take up all of
- заповня́ти (zapovnjáty)occupy fully, take up all of
- запо́внити (zapóvnyty)occupy fully, take up all of
Welsh llenwi, llenwi
- llenwiadd contents to, so it is full
- llenwienter, making it full
- llenwioccupy fully, take up all of
- llenwibecome pervaded with something
- llenwiinstall someone or be installed in
- llenwitreat (a tooth)
- llenwibecome full of contents
- llenwisatisfy, obey
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with fill
Sounds the same
Cite this entry
fill. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fill
“fill.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fill. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fill,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fill.
Source: fill on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.