▪ I. † ˈbilling, vbl. n.1 Obs.
[f. bill v.1 + -ing1.]
Working with a bill or mattock; hoeing.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 36 Byllynge of mattokys, ligonizacio. |
▪ II. billing, vbl. n.2
(ˈbɪlɪŋ)
[f. bill v.2 + -ing1.]
† 1. The pecking of a bird. Obs.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 36 Byllynge of byrdys, rostratus. 1598 Florio, Imbeccata..an embilling, a billing or feading. 1599 Broughton's Lett. i. 6 The billing of such filthie garbage. |
2. The caressing of doves; kissing; love-making.
| 1587 Warner Alb. England vi. xxxi. (1612) 153 First blend they heards, and forthwith lips, and after billing fell To other Sport. c 1630 Drummond of Hawthornden Poems Wks. (1711) 21 Come, let us teach new billing to the dove. 1732 Fielding Miser i. iii, Here's fine billing, and cooing, I warrant. 1815 L. Hunt Feast of Poets 10, I never much valued your billings and cooings. |
▪ III. ˈbilling, vbl. n.3
[f. bill v.3 + -ing1.]
a. The action of entering in a list, enrolling, indicting, lampooning, etc.
| 1884 Manch. Exam. 14 Nov. 5/4 The proceedings in connection with the billing of the Sheriffs. |
b. Announcing or advertising by bill or poster; publicity. Also attrib. So top billing, the most prominent position on a poster, advertisement, or the like; stardom.
| 1875 Chambers's Jrnl. 132/1 Advertisements, which most likely took the form of ‘billing’. 1900 Daily News 4 Dec. 3/2 No billing is attempted in the City, and hence the urgent necessity for a thorough distribution of election literature. 1902 Daily Chron. 20 Mar. 7/4 If plaintiff did not send..particulars of her performance for billing purposes. 1905 Ibid. 28 June 6/2 The defence was that Mr. Elen did not send on ‘billing matter’ two weeks in advance of his engagement. 1957 L. F. R. Williams State of Israel 145 English plays of recent date, in Hebrew translations, figure more frequently in the billings. 1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 13 Jan. 24/1 He made his Broadway debut as Lancelot in Camelot, with billing below the title; now, he is returning to Broadway, with top billing. 1969 Times 14 Feb. 10/7 He and other dance band leaders..vied with Gracie Fields for the top billing on the music halls and radio. |
c. Comm. The act of making out or sending a bill, invoice, etc. Also attrib., as billing machine.
| 1908 Westm. Gaz. 26 Feb. 9/2 The billing machine..will produce half a dozen business documents at one operation, and will total up automatically the various items entered. Ibid. 29 Feb. 7/1 The special Oliver for Billing and Invoicing... Combined Billing and Adding Machines. 1959 Economist 4 Apr. 68/2 The two industries might profitably co-operate in such things as meter reading, billing and collection of accounts. |
d. The total amount of business or investment, esp. of an advertising agency, during a given period. U.S.
| 1958 M. Mayer Madison Ave. iii. 53 We've grown from $2,900,000 in billings in 1940 to about $100,000,000 in 1957. 1959 I. Ross Image Merch. (1960) viii. 134 Their gross billing was $150,000 in 1951. |
▪ IV. ˈbilling, ppl. a.
[f. bill v.2 + -ing2.]
That bills or caresses like a pair of doves.
| 1720 Gay Espousal, Let me be The billing dove, and fondling lamb to thee. 1729 T. Cooke Tales, etc. 67 Hear the billing Turtles coo. 1801 Moore The Kiss, Give me, my love, that billing kiss I taught you. |