fill
[verb]
Synonyms:
- stuff, cram, crowd, glut, pack, stock, supply, swell
- saturate, charge, imbue, impregnate, pervade, suffuse
- plug, block, bung, close, cork, seal, stop
- perform, carry out, discharge, execute, fulfil, hold, occupy
[noun]
Synonyms:
- one's fill: sufficient, all one wants, ample, enough, plenty

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Contrasted words: clear, free
Related Words: bar, dam, jam, bung, pug, overfeed, overfill, overstuff

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English Thesaurus: fill, fill up, load/load up, stuff/cram, refill, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. fill¹ S1 W1 /fɪl/ verb
[Word Family: noun: fill, refill, filling, filler; verb: fill, refill; adjective: filling]
[Language: Old English; Origin: fyllan; related to ⇒ full¹]

1. BECOME/MAKE FULL [intransitive and transitive] (also fill up) if a container or place fills, or if you fill it, enough of something goes into it to make it full:
He poured her a drink, then filled his own glass.
My job was filling the flour sacks.
Take a deep breath and allow your lungs to fill.
fill (something) with something
Her eyes filled with tears.
fill something to the brim/to overflowing (=fill something completely)
a bucket filled to the brim with ice
There was just enough wind to fill the sails.
Miller’s band was filling dance halls (=attracting a lot of people) all over the country.

2. LARGE THING/NUMBER [transitive] if a thing or group fills something, there is no space left:
Crowds of well-wishers filled the streets.
His wartime experiences would fill a book!
All the seats were filled and a number of people were standing.
Numerous pictures fill every available space.

3. SOUND/SMELL/LIGHT [transitive] if a sound, smell, or light fills a place, you notice it because it is very loud or strong:
The smell of freshly baked bread filled the room.
be filled with something
The air was filled with the sound of children’s laughter.

4. EMOTIONS [transitive] if you are filled with an emotion, or if it fills you, you feel it very strongly
be filled with admiration/joy/happiness etc
I was filled with admiration for her.
be filled with horror/fear/anger/doubt/remorse
Their faces were suddenly filled with fear.
fill somebody with something
The prospect filled him with horror.

5. PROVIDE SOMETHING [transitive] to provide something that is needed or wanted but which has not been available or present before
fill a need/demand
Volunteers fill a real need for teachers in the Somali Republic.
fill a gap/hole/niche etc
I spent most of the summer filling the gaps in my education.
The company has moved quickly to fill the niche in the overnight travel market.

6. SPEND TIME [transitive] if you fill a period of time with a particular activity, you spend that time doing it
fill your time/the days etc (with something)
I have no trouble filling my time.

7. PERFORM A JOB [transitive] to perform a particular job, activity, or purpose in an organization, or to find someone or something to do this
fill a post/position/vacancy etc
Women fill 35% of senior management positions.
Thank you for your letter. Unfortunately, the vacancy has already been filled.
The UK should find another weapon to fill the same role.

8. CRACK/HOLE [transitive] (also fill in) to put a substance into a hole, crack etc to make a surface level:
Fill in any cracks before starting to paint.
materials developed to fill tooth cavities

9. fill yourself (up)/fill your face informal to eat so much food that you cannot eat any more

10. fill an order to supply the goods that a customer has ordered:
The company is struggling to fill $11 million in back orders.

11. fill the bill American English to have exactly the right qualities Synonym : fit the bill British English:
We needed an experienced reporter and Willis fills the bill.

12. fill sb’s shoes to do the work that someone else normally does, especially when this is difficult because they have set a high standard

3. fill somebody up informal food that fills you up makes you feel as though you have eaten a lot when you have only eaten a small amount

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. fill² noun
[Word Family: noun: fill, refill, filling, filler; verb: fill, refill; adjective: filling]

1. have had your fill of something informal to have done something or experienced something, especially something unpleasant, so that you do not want any more:
I’ve had my fill of screaming kids for one day.

2. eat/drink your fill old-fashioned to eat or drink as much as you want or need

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

fill
verb
ADV. fast, quickly, rapidly At the moment, most reservoirs are filling fast.
gradually, slowly | up
VERB + FILL begin to The sails began to fill.
seem to He seemed to fill the room with his presence.
PREP. with Fill the bucket with water.
PHRASES be filled to capacity The school is filled to capacity?we simply can't take any more students.
be filled to the brim (with sth) The drawers were all filled to the brim.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

fill
verb
1.
BAD: My shoes were filled with water so I took them off.
GOOD: My shoes were full of water so I took them off.
BAD: The eight o'clock train is usually filled with office workers.
GOOD: The eight o'clock train is usually full of office workers.

Usage Note:
be filled with = containing so many or so much that there is no empty space left: 'The first drawer was filled with neat piles of shirts.' 'The front page is filled with the most important news items.'
be full of = (1) containing a large number or amount: 'The kitchen was full of flies.' 'The essay was full of mistakes.' (2) be filled with: 'The kettle was full of boiling water.'

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2.
BAD: You'll have to fill an application form.
GOOD: You'll have to fill in an application form.

Usage Note:
fill in/out a form, coupon etc: 'To open a new account, you have to fill in an application form.' 'Remember to fill out the counterfoil.'
fill in an empty space on a form, coupon etc: 'Just fill in Section A.'
fill in details on a form: 'Fill in your name and address and then sign the form at the bottom.'
Note that fill out is more common in American English.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

fill to put enough of something into a container to make it full:
Jenny filled the kettle and put it on to boil.
Party balloons can be filled with helium.
fill up to fill something completely – used especially about putting petrol in the tank of a car:
I need to fill up the car.
The waiter filled up everyone’s glasses.
If the oil tank is less than half full, tell them to fill it up.
load/load up to fill a vehicle with goods, furniture etc:
Two men were loading a truck with boxes of melons.
stuff/cram to quickly fill something such as a bag or pocket by pushing things into it tightly:
She hurriedly stuffed some things into an overnight bag and left.
refill to fill a container again, after what was in it has been used:
I’m just going to refill this bottle from the tap.
top up British English, top off American English to fill a glass or cup that still has some liquid in it:
Can I top up your glass of wine?
replenish formal to make something full again, especially with a supply of something such as water or food:
The lake is fed by springs that are eternally replenished by the rain.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲