The bill is the primary form of legislative proposals for new laws in most legislatures. Typically, the bill is given a number that it retains throughout its parliamentary stages and is prefixed with the letter H.R. or S. in the United States, depending on whether it originated in the House of Representatives or Senate, respectively. Joint resolutions, which follow the same parliamentary procedures but do not reach the President, are given individual numbers as well. Once a bill has gone through all of its parliamentary stages, it can be passed into law (and receive royal assent) and become an act, though some monarchs have the power to withhold royal assent or send back bills for reconsideration.
The word bill is also used in legal contexts to describe the written statement that an entity owes money to another, demonstrating the breadth of the word’s meaning. Moreover, the term bill is used in the realm of entertainment and leisure activities to indicate the list of entertainers for an event, exemplifying the word’s utility in everyday life. Additionally, the word bill can be found in ornithology to refer to a bird’s beak, further displaying the scope of the word’s meaning and its importance within societal constructs beyond human governmental structures. Expanding your vocabulary is a surefire way to empower yourself with more nuanced ways to articulate and communicate your thoughts and emotions. Explore the various adjectives tied to the word bill to further refine its context and meaning.