Fill the bill

Posted by Henry on August 03, 2004

In Reply to: Foot / Fit the bill posted by Teddy on August 03, 2004

: I hear people say, "I'll foot the bill" as in "pay for it".

: Today I heard someone say, "The Pres. Bush bobble head doll fits the bill".

: Is "fits the bill" the correct phrase here?

As you say, to foot the bill is to meet the cost of something.
To fit the bill means to be be suitable. A bill would be a legal document rather than an invoice. An alternative is to fill the bill.
So the phrase seems to fill the bill here.

• Fill the bill Lexi 03/August/04