Fills

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /fɪlz/

Definitions

1. Supplies material or substance to occupy or make full a gap or space ; takes on or completes a particular job, role, or position ; places a substance into a tooth cavity to restore its shape and function
2. Adds material to cover or occupy an empty area ; fulfills a duty or position by performing necessary tasks ; inserts restorative material in a tooth hole to prevent further damage
3. Occupies an empty space by inserting material ; assumes or satisfies the demands of a function or office ; uses a dental compound to fill and seal a decayed part of a tooth

Etymology: The verb "fills" is simply the third-person singular present of "fill", so the history belongs to the root verb. Its ancestor, Old English "fyllan", meant "to make full, replenish, satisfy, complete", a sense close to the modern "fill" of a container but also reaching toward fulfilment. The Old English verb was built from "full", meaning "full", which traces back to a prehistoric Germanic adjective. That same ancient root gave Latin "plenus", meaning "full", so "plenary" and "plenty" are distant relatives of the verb. Before Old English, the sense of "to make full" was already present in the Germanic languages, and the family resemblance is striking: Dutch "vullen", German "füllen", Swedish "fylla" and Icelandic "fylla" all carry the same meaning. The English verb has kept the physical sense of filling a space alongside the older, more abstract sense of satisfying a need or completing a duty, which is why we can fill a glass and also fill an office.

Synonyms: satiates, completes, crowds, stuff, packs

Antonyms: empties, drains, removes, depletes, vacates