Definition of “fill” - English Dictionary

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“fill” in English

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fillverb

uk ​ /fɪl/ us ​ /fɪl/

fill verb (SPACE)

A2 [ I or T ] to make or become full; to use empty space:

I filled the bucket with water.
I could hear the tank filling.
She filled most of her time watching TV.
figurative Happy sounds filled the room (= could be heard everywhere in the room).

C2 [ I or T ] to put a substance into an empty space:

Before painting, fill (in) all the cracks in the plaster.
These cakes are filled with cream.
figurative The product clearly filled a need/gap in the market.

› [ T ] to make someone have a partricular feeling:

figurative The thought of it fills me with (= makes me feel) dread.

› [ T ] to put a substance into a hole in a tooth to repair it:

You should get that cavity filled.

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Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Grammar

Full or filled?Full is an adjective, and means ‘containing a lot’: …

Phrasal verb(s)

fill sth in/out
fill sb in
fill in
fill out
fill (sth) up
fill sb up

fillnoun [ U ]

uk ​ /fɪl/ us ​ /fɪl/

(Definition of “fill” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“fill” in American English

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fillverb [ I/T ]

us ​ /fɪl/

› to make or become fuller or full; to use empty space:

[ T ] I filled the bucket.
[ I ] After all that rain, the reservoirs are finally filling.
[ T ] The dentist says I need to have four teeth filled (= treated to replace decayed material).

› If a product or service fills a need, it gives people something they want.

› To fill a job or position is to employ someone to do that job:

[ T ] I’m sorry, the position has already been filled.

Idiom(s)

fill someone’s shoes

Phrasal verb(s)

fill someone/something with something
fill in
fill in someone
fill in/out something
fill out
fill up something

fillnoun [ U ]

us ​ /fɪl/

› an amount that is enough:

to eat/drink your fill

Idiom(s)

get your fill of something

(Definition of “fill” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“fill” in Business English

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fillverb [ T ]

uk ​ /fɪl/ us ​

› to employ someone to do a job:

fill a vacancy/post/position It took us over a year to fill that vacancy.

› to do a job:

fill a vacancy/post/position A former state district judge will fill the vacancy created following the CEO's resignation.
He was political editor of the Sunday Mirror, then filled the same role at Today newspaper.

› to provide something such as a product or service that someone wants or needs:

fill a gap/niche The theory is that the government's venture-capital funds can fill a gap in the market for start-ups.
fill a demand/need A new business must fill both a need and a demand. Selling something people need but don't want is noble but not profitable.

› to supply a customer with the product or service they have requested:

The defence ministry called for bids to fill an order for 126 fighter jets.

Phrasal verb(s)

fill in
fill out
fill up

(Definition of “fill” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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