Idiom
Fit the bill
If something fits the bill, it is exactly what is needed or suitable for a particular purpose.
How people use it
It usually describes a person, place or thing that meets a need: we needed a cheap, quiet venue, and the library hall fit the bill. It is neutral and common at work and in everyday talk. Both fit the bill and fill the bill are correct. Fill the bill is the older form and still common in American English, while fit the bill is now widespread everywhere. In American English the past tense is often fit rather than fitted.
Also said: fill the bill.
Examples
- We needed a small, reliable car for city driving, and this hatchback fits the bill.
- If you want a quick, healthy lunch, this lentil soup fills the bill.
- Ben speaks Spanish and loves kids, so he fit the bill for the camp job.
Where it comes from
The older form, fill the bill, comes from American theater and shows of the 1800s. A bill was a printed poster listing the acts, and a performer who filled the bill was just what the show needed. Fit the bill developed later as a variant, probably because fit matches the idea of being suitable.
Check yourself
1. If a new apartment fits the bill, what does that mean?
Answer: It is just what you need. Fit the bill means suitable for the purpose.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: We needed someone patient for the job, and Priya fit the bill.. The idiom means meeting a need, so an awful hotel does not fit.
Similar idioms
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