FILL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fill mean? 

• FILL (noun)
  The noun FILL has 2 senses:

1. a quantity sufficient to satisfy

2. any material that fills a space or container

  Familiarity information: FILL used as a noun is rare.

• FILL (verb)
  The verb FILL has 9 senses:

1. make full, also in a metaphorical sense

2. become full

3. occupy the whole of

4. assume, as of positions or roles

5. fill, satisfy or meet a want or need or condtion ro restriction

6. appoint someone to (a position or a job)

7. eat until one is sated

8. fill to satisfaction

9. plug with a substance

  Familiarity information: FILL used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FILL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A quantity sufficient to satisfy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Context example:

she had heard her fill of gossip

Hypernyms ("fill" is a kind of...):

enough; sufficiency (an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose)

Derivation:

fill (fill to satisfaction)

fill (fill, satisfy or meet a want or need or condtion ro restriction)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any material that fills a space or container

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

fill; filling

Context example:

there was not enough fill for the trench

Hypernyms ("fill" is a kind of...):

material; stuff (the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fill"):

cement (any of various materials used by dentists to fill cavities in teeth)

Derivation:

fill (plug with a substance)

fill (become full)

fill (make full, also in a metaphorical sense)

• FILL (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make full, also in a metaphorical sense

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

fill; fill up; make full

Context example:

fill the child with pride

Hypernyms (to "fill" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Cause:

fill; fill up (become full)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fill"):

prime (fill with priming liquid)

impregnate; saturate (infuse or fill completely)

line (fill plentifully)

complete (bring to a whole, with all the necessary parts or elements)

impregnate; infuse; instill; tincture (fill, as with a certain quality)

electrify (charge (a conductor) with electricity)

lube; lubricate (apply a lubricant to)

surcharge (fill to an excessive degree)

lade; laden; load; load up (fill or place a load on)

charge; load (provide (a device) with something necessary)

deluge; flood; inundate; swamp (fill quickly beyond capacity; as with a liquid)

pack (fill to capacity)

ink (fill with ink)

clutter; clutter up (fill a space in a disorderly way)

clog; overload (fill to excess so that function is impaired)

brim (fill as much as possible)

farce; stuff (fill with a stuffing while cooking)

stuff (fill tightly with a material)

populate (fill with inhabitants)

top off (fill to the point of almost overflowing)

heap (fill to overflow)

overfill (fill beyond capacity)

fill again; refill; replenish (fill something that had previously been emptied)

bolster; pad (add padding to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something with something

Sentence example:

They fill the cart with boxes

Antonym:

empty (make void or empty of contents)

Also:

fill in (represent the effect of shade or shadow on)

fill out (make fat or plump)

Derivation:

fill (any material that fills a space or container)

filler (the tobacco used to form the core of a cigar)

filler (anything added to fill out a whole)

filler (copy to fill space between more important articles in the layout of a magazine or newspaper)

filling (the act of filling something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Become full

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

fill; fill up

Context example:

The theater filled up slowly

Hypernyms (to "fill" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fill"):

water (fill with tears)

flood (become filled to overflowing)

rack up (supply a rack with feed for (horses or other animals))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Antonym:

empty (become empty or void of its content)

Derivation:

filling (flow into something (as a container))

fill (any material that fills a space or container)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Occupy the whole of

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

fill; occupy

Context example:

The liquid fills the container

Hypernyms (to "fill" is one way to...):

be (occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fill"):

crowd (fill or occupy to the point of overflowing)

take up (take up time or space)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The books fill the box

Sense 4

Meaning:

Assume, as of positions or roles

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

fill; occupy; take

Context example:

the young prince will soon occupy the throne

Hypernyms (to "fill" is one way to...):

do work; work (be employed)

Verb group:

assume; strike; take; take up (occupy or take on)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Fill, satisfy or meet a want or need or condtion ro restriction

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

conform to; fill; fit; fulfil; fulfill; meet; satisfy

Context example:

meet a need

Hypernyms (to "fill" is one way to...):

cater; ply; provide; supply (give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fill"):

content (satisfy in a limited way)

accommodate; fit; suit (be agreeable or acceptable to)

fulfil; fulfill; live up to; satisfy (meet the requirements or expectations of)

fill the bill; fit the bill (be what is needed or be good enough for what is required)

allay; assuage; quench; slake (satisfy (thirst))

feed on; feed upon (be sustained by)

appease; quell; stay (overcome or allay)

answer (be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

fill (a quantity sufficient to satisfy)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Appoint someone to (a position or a job)

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "fill" is one way to...):

employ; engage; hire (engage or hire for work)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Eat until one is sated

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

fill; fill up

Context example:

He filled up on turkey

Hypernyms (to "fill" is one way to...):

eat (take in solid food)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 8

Meaning:

Fill to satisfaction

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

fill; replete; sate; satiate

Context example:

I am sated

Hypernyms (to "fill" is one way to...):

consume; have; ingest; take; take in (serve oneself to, or consume regularly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fill"):

cloy; pall (cause surfeit through excess though initially pleasing)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

fill (a quantity sufficient to satisfy)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Plug with a substance

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

fill a cavity

Hypernyms (to "fill" is one way to...):

bushel; doctor; fix; furbish up; mend; repair; restore; touch on (restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fill"):

close; fill up (fill or stop up)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

fill (any material that fills a space or container)

filler (used for filling cracks or holes in a surface)

filling ((dentistry) a dental appliance consisting of any of various substances (as metal or plastic) inserted into a prepared cavity in a tooth)

 Context examples 

Lobular neoplasia characterized by lobular epithelial proliferation that does not completely fill the lobular unit of the breast.

(Atypical lobular breast hyperplasia, NCI Thesaurus)

I was filled with agitation, however, when I bent down and slid feet foremost in through the window.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

It results in the development of blood filled ovarian cysts (chocolate cysts), and creation of scars and adhesions.

(Ovarian Endometriosis, NCI Thesaurus)

"He has to come to us to be told," Brissenden filled in a pause.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

A character used to fill empty space.

(Pad Character, NCI Thesaurus)

It filled him with a great unrest and strange desires.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

“Oh, Trotwood!” she returned, her eyes filled with tears.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

It is characterized by the presence of a cystic structure that is filled with mucus.

(Appendix Mucinous Cystadenoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A pre-filled non-injectable pipette, syringe or tube.

(Applicator, NCI Thesaurus)

The clear, watery fluid which fills the anterior and posterior chambers of the eye.

(Aqueous Humor, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)