filling

UK: /ˈfɪlɪŋ/ US: /ˈfɪlɪŋ/ ,(fil′ing)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fill•ing /ˈfɪlɪŋ/   n. 

1. [countable] an act or instance of filling.
2. something put in as a filler:
   [uncountable] too much pie filling.
   [countable] delicious sandwich fillings.
3. Dentistry a substance such as cement or amalgam, used to fill a cavity in a tooth:
   [countable] The dentist put in a temporary filling.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fill•ing  (fil′ing), n. 

1. an act or instance of filling.
2. something that is put in to fill something else:
   They used sand as filling for the depression.
3. Dentistry a substance such as cement, amalgam, gold, or the like, used to fill a cavity caused by decay in a tooth.
4. Food a food mixture that goes into something, as if to fill it:
   sandwich filling; pie filling.
5. Textiles Also called pick, weft, woof. yarn carried by the shuttle and interlacing at right angles with the warp in woven cloth. See diag. under weave. 

• 1350–1400; Middle English; see fill, -ing¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

filling / ˈfɪlɪŋ/ noun

1. the substance or thing used to fill a space or container: pie filling
2. any of various substances (metal, plastic, etc) for inserting into the prepared cavity of a tooth
3. the cavity of a tooth so filled
4. another term for weft

adjective

1. (of food or a meal) substantial and satisfying

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fill /fɪl/  v. 

1. to (cause to) become full;
   put as much as can be held into: [~ + object]
   to fill a jar with water.
   [no object]
   Her eyes filled with tears.
2. to occupy to the full capacity:
   [~ + object] The crowd filled the hall.
3. to supply plentifully:
   [~ + object] to fill a house with furniture.
4. to penetrate to every part of:
   [~ + object] Sunlight filled the room.
5. to occupy and perform the duties of (a position, post, etc.):
   [~ + object] The company has already filled the position you applied for.
6. to supply the requirements or contents of (an order for goods, etc.):
   [~ + object] We'll fill your order right away.
7. to meet satisfactorily, as requirements:
   [~ + object] to fill a need.
8. to stop up or close (a cavity, hole, etc.):
   [~ + object] to fill a tooth.
9. fill in:
   • [~ + in + object] to supply (missing information):
     The spy filled in the names of the missing scientists.
   • to supply information to (someone): [~ + object + in]
     Fill us in on your work experience.
     [~ + in + object]
     Fill in the boss about the plan.
   • to complete by adding detail or by inserting required information into: [~ + in + object]
     I filled in the form on the typewriter. She'll fill in the background with diagonal lines.
     [~ + object + in]
     I filled the form in.
   • [no object] to act as a substitute:
     I filled in for him while he was on vacation.
10. fill out:
    • to complete (a document or form) by supplying required information: [~ + out + object]
      He filled out the form and signed it at the bottom.
      [~ + object + out]
      He filled it out.
    • [no object] to become rounder and fuller, such as the human face or figure.
11. fill up:
    • to (cause to) become full to the top: [no object]
      The tank filled up in no time.
      [~ + up + object]
      He filled up the tank with gas.
      [~ + object + up]
      He filled it up.
    • to take up (space) completely: [~ + object + up]
      The huge football player seemed to fill the room up.
      [~ + up + object]
      He seemed to fill up the whole room.
    • to give a feeling of having eaten enough or too much: [~ + object + up]
      Just a little of his chocolate cake always fills me up.
      [~ + up + object]
      Starchy food fills up the campers quickly.

n. [uncountable]

12. a full supply;
    enough to satisfy want or desire:
    to eat one's fill.
13. Civil Engineering material such as earth or stones for building up the level of an area of ground.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fill  (fil), v.t. 

1. to make full;
   put as much as can be held into:
   to fill a jar with water.
2. to occupy to the full capacity:
   Water filled the basin. The crowd filled the hall.
3. to supply to an extreme degree or plentifully:
   to fill a house with furniture; to fill the heart with joy.
4. to satisfy fully the hunger of;
   satiate:
   The roast beef filled the diners.
5. to put into a receptacle:
   to fill sand into a pail.
6. to be plentiful throughout:
   Fish filled the rivers.
7. to extend throughout;
   pervade completely:
   The odor filled the room.
8. to furnish with an occupant:
   The landlord filled the vacancy yesterday.
9. to provide (an office or opening) with an incumbent:
   The company is eager to fill the controllership.
10. to occupy and perform the duties of (a vacancy, position, post, etc.).
11. to supply the requirements or contents of (an order), as for goods;
    execute.
12. to supply (a blank space) with written matter, decorative work, etc.
13. to meet satisfactorily, as requirements:
    This book fills a great need.
14. to make up, compound, or otherwise provide the contents of (a medical prescription).
15. to stop up or close (a cavity, hole, etc.):
    to fill a tooth.
16. Food [Cookery.] to insert a filling into:
    to fill cupcakes with custard.
17. [Naut.]
    • Naval Terms to distend (a sail) by pressure of the wind so as to impart headway to a vessel.
    • Naval Terms to brace (a yard) so that the sail will catch the wind on its after side.
18. to adulterate:
    to fill soaps with water.
19. Civil Engineering to build up the level of (an area) with earth, stones, etc.

v.i. 

20. to become full:
    The hall filled rapidly. Our eyes filled with tears.
21. to increase in atmospheric pressure:
    a filling cyclone.
22. to become distended, as sails with the wind.
23. Nautical fill and stand on, (of a sailing vessel) to proceed on a tack after being hove to or halted facing the wind;
    fill away.
24. fill away, [Naut.]
    • Naval Terms to fall off the wind and proceed on a board.
    • Naval Terms to brace the yards, so that sails that have been aback will stand full.
25. fill in:
    • to supply missing or desired information:
      Fill in the facts of your business experience.
    • to complete by adding detail, as a design or drawing:
      to fill in a sketch with shadow.
    • to substitute for:
      to fill in for a colleague who is ill.
    • to fill with some material:
      to fill in a crack with putty.
    • Informal Terms to supply (someone) with information:
      Please fill me in on the morning news.
26. fill out:
    • to complete (a document, list, etc.) by supplying missing or desired information.
    • to become larger, fuller, or rounder, as the figure:
      The children have begun to fill out since I saw them last.
27. fill the bill. See bill ¹ (def. 12).
28. fill up:
    • to fill completely:
      to fill up a glass; to fill up a fuel tank.
    • to become completely filled:
      The riverbed filled up as a result of the steady rains.

n. 

29. a full supply;
    enough to satisfy want or desire:
    to eat one's fill.
30. an amount of something sufficient for filling;
    charge.
31. Civil Engineering a quantity of earth, stones, etc., for building up the level of an area of ground:
    These houses were built on fill.
    Cf. backfill.
32. Animal Husbandry the feed and water in the digestive tract of a livestock animal, esp. that consumed before marketing.

• bef. 900; Middle English fillen, Old English fyllan; cognate with German füllen, Gothic fulljan to make full; see full¹

fill′a•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 2. crowd, pack, jam, cram.
• 13. satisfy, answer, fulfill.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

fill / fɪl/ verb (mainly tr) often followed by up:

1. (also intr) to make or become full: to fill up a bottle, the bath fills in two minutes
2. to occupy the whole of: the party filled two floors of the house
3. to plug (a gap, crevice, cavity, etc)
4. to meet (a requirement or need) satisfactorily
5. to cover (a page or blank space) with writing, drawing, etc
6. to hold and perform the duties of (an office or position)
7. to appoint or elect an occupant to (an office or position)
8. to build up (ground) with fill
9. (also intr) to swell or cause to swell with wind, as in manoeuvring the sails of a sailing vessel
10. to increase the bulk of by adding an inferior substance
11. to complete (a full house, etc) by drawing the cards needed
12. to put together the necessary materials for (a prescription or order)
13. fill the bill ⇒ to serve or perform adequately

noun

1. material such as gravel, stones, etc, used to bring an area of ground up to a required level
2. one's fill ⇒ the quantity needed to satisfy one: to eat your fill

Etymology: Old English fyllan; related to Old Frisian fella, Old Norse fylla, Gothic fulljan, Old High German fullen; see full¹, fulfil