2 N‑COUNT A Filipino is a person who comes from the Philippines.
fill ◆◆◇ /f I l/ (fills , filling , filled )
1 VERB If you fill a container or area, or if it fills , an amount of something enters it that is enough to make it full. □ [V n + with ] Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a slow boil. □ [V n] She made sandwiches, filled a flask and put sugar in. □ [V + with ] The boy's eyes filled with tears. □ [V ] While the bath was filling, he padded about in his underpants. ● PHRASAL VERB Fill up means the same as fill . □ [V n P ] Pass me your cup, Amy, and I'll fill it up for you. □ [V P + with ] Warehouses at the frontier between the two countries fill up with sacks of rice and flour. [Also V P , V P n]
2 VERB If something fills a space, it is so big, or there are such large quantities of it, that there is very little room left. □ [V n] He cast his eyes at the rows of cabinets that filled the enormous work area. □ [V n] The text fills 231 pages. ● PHRASAL VERB Fill up means the same as fill . □ [V P n] …the complicated machines that fill up today's laboratories. [Also V n P ] ● filled ADJ [v-link ADJ with n] □ …four museum buildings filled with historical objects. ● -filled COMB □ …the flower-filled courtyard of an old Spanish colonial house.
3 VERB If you fill a crack or hole, you put a substance into it in order to make the surface smooth again. □ [V n + with ] Fill small holes with wood filler in a matching colour. □ [V n] The gravedigger filled the grave. ● PHRASAL VERB Fill in means the same as fill . □ [V n P ] If any cracks have appeared in the tart case, fill these in with raw pastry. [Also V P n]
4 VERB If a sound, smell, or light fills a space, or the air, it is very strong or noticeable. □ [V n] In the parking lot of the school, the siren filled the air. □ [V n + with ] All the light bars were turned on which filled the room with these rotating beams of light. ● -filled COMB □ …those whose work forces them to be in dusty or smoke-filled environments.
5 VERB If something fills you with an emotion, or if an emotion fills you, you experience this emotion strongly. □ [V n + with ] I admired my father, and his work filled me with awe and curiosity. □ [V n] He looked at me without speaking, and for the first time I could see the pride that filled him.
6 VERB If you fill a period of time with a particular activity, you spend the time in this way. □ [V n] If she wants a routine to fill her day, let her do community work. [Also V n + with ] ● PHRASAL VERB Fill up means the same as fill . □ [V P n] On Thursday night she went to her yoga class, glad to have something to fill up the evening. [Also V n P ]
7 VERB If something fills a need or a gap, it puts an end to this need or gap by existing or being active. □ [V n] She brought him a sense of fun, of gaiety that filled a gap in his life.
8 VERB If something fills a role, position, or function, they have that role or position, or perform that function, often successfully. □ [V n] The company develops internal candidates to fill management roles.
9 VERB If a company or organization fills a job vacancy, they choose someone to do the job. If someone fills a job vacancy, they accept a job that they have been offered. □ [V n] The unemployed may not have the skills to fill the vacancies on offer. □ [V n] A vacancy has arisen which I intend to fill.
10 VERB When a dentist fills someone's tooth, he or she puts a filling in it. □ [V n] …children having teeth filled due to decay.
11 VERB If you fill an order or a prescription, you provide the things that are asked for. [mainly AM ] □ [V n] A pharmacist can fill any prescription if, in his or her judgment, the prescription is valid.
12 to fill the bill → see bill
▸ fill in
1 PHRASAL VERB If you fill in a form or other document requesting information, you write information in the spaces on it. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n P ] If you want your free copy of the magazine, fill this form in. □ [V P n] Fill in the coupon and send it first class to the address shown. in AM, usually use fill out 2 PHRASAL VERB If you fill in a shape, you cover the area inside the lines with colour or shapes so that none of the background is showing. □ [V P n] When you have both filled in your patterns, you may want to share these with each other. □ [V n P ] With a lip pencil, outline lips and fill them in.
3 PHRASAL VERB If you fill someone in , you give them more details about something that you know about. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] I didn't give Reid all the details yet–I'll fill him in. □ [V n P + on ] He filled her in on Wilbur Kantor's visit.
4 PHRASAL VERB If you fill in for someone, you do the work or task that they normally do because they are unable to do it. □ [V P + for ] Small firms rely on agencies to fill in for absent permanent staff.
5 PHRASAL VERB [usu passive] If you are filling in time, you are using time that is available by doing something that is not very important. □ [V P n] That's not a career. She's just filling in time until she gets married.
6 → see also fill 3
▸ fill out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you fill out a form or other document requesting information, you write information in the spaces on it. [mainly AM ] □ [V P n] Fill out the application carefully, and keep copies of it. [Also V n P ] in BRIT, usually use fill in 2 PHRASAL VERB If a fairly thin person fills out , they become fatter. □ [V P ] A girl may fill out before she reaches her full height.