A formal statement or declaration of a thing in writing; a formal written statement of complaint to a court of justice; a written accusation of one or more persons of a crime; a common engagement for money, given by one man to another; a note for the for the absolute payment of money; a form or draft of a law, presented to a legislature, but not yet enacted, or before it is enacted; a proposed law; an account of charges and particulars of indebtedness by the creditor of his debtor.

Thus, “the word ‘Bill’ is one of the most general that can be used wherever it is not confined by other terms, e.g. a Bill in Parliament, a Bill in Chancery” In every kind of business the word ‘Bill’ occurs as representing any writing- a Bill of Lading, a Bill of Exchange, a Bill of parcels, a Pay Bill, a Bill of Fare, a Bill of Divorce and soon.” [per Maule, arg. Bank of England v. Anderson, 3 Bing NC 601]