Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

old bill

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.05 in modern English

Syllables
old -bill
IPA
10
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A police officer.

British usage; Slang

noun

The police force.

Slang

noun

A soldier, especially one who resembles the cartoon character of the same name created by Bruce Bairnsfather in 1914.

Dated; Slang

Etymology

Unknown. Suggested sources for the police officer and police force terms include: #Old Bill, comic character created by Bruce Bairnsfather. #Music hall song "Won't you come home, Bill Bailey", which references the Old Bailey criminal court. #William IV (reigned 1830-37), who became king the year after the Metropolitan Police were founded (1829). #Wilhelm I, Prussian Kaiser who visited the UK around the same time the custodian helmet was adopted (1863). #bill (“cutting instrument”) or billhook, weapons carried by constables of the watch. #bill (“written note of services rendered”), allegedly presented by a police officer to solicit a bribe. #bill (“draft of a law”), laid in Parliament. #Number plates for all public services, including police, registered by London County Council with the letter "BYL". ##Specifically, the cars of the Flying Squad. #Bill Smith, a popular police sergeant in Limehouse circa 1860s.

Usage

Inflected Forms

the Old Bill (canonical)

Synonyms

bobby PC Plod rozzer 5-O alphabet barney beatsman bizzie bluebottle bluecoat blue heeler blue meanie

Questions

What does old bill mean?
A police officer.
Where does old bill come from?
Unknown. Suggested sources for the police officer and police force terms include: #Old Bill, comic character created by Bruce Bairnsfather. #Music hall song "Won't you come home, Bill Bailey", which references the Old Bailey criminal court. #William IV (reigned 1830-37), who became king the year after the Metropolitan Police were founded (1829). #Wilhelm I, Prussian Kaiser who visited the UK around the same time the custodian helmet was adopted (1863). #bill (“cutting instrument”) or billhook, weapons carried by constables of the watch. #bill (“written note of services rendered”), allegedly presented by a police officer to solicit a bribe. #bill (“draft of a law”), laid in Parliament. #Number plates for all public services, including police, registered by London County Council with the letter "BYL". ##Specifically, the cars of the Flying Squad. #Bill Smith, a popular police sergeant in Limehouse circa 1860s.

How to pronounce old bill

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “old bill”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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  4. Repeat and practice — Say “old bill” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.