n. An old military weapon, with a hooked point, and an edge on the back, as well as within the curve, a BILL or a broad two-edged sword, a falchion. Whatever its shape, it must have had two edges; as, in the earliest poem, an envoy is attacked, billes ecgum, with the edges of a bill; falx, marra, falcastrum, ensis curvus. Hitherto this word has only been found in poetry :-- Ðá ic, on morgne, gefrægn mǽg óðerne billes ecgum on bonan stælan then on the morrow, I have heard of the other kinsman setting on the slayer with the edges of a bill, Beo. Th. 4963; B. 2485. Geseah ðá sige-eádig bil, eald sweord eótenisc then he saw a victorious bill, an old giant sword, Beo. Th. 3119; B. 1557. Abrægd mid ðý bille he brandished with his sword, Cd. 142; Th. 177, 17; Gen. 2931. Billa ecgum with the edges of swords, Cd. 210; Th. 260, 14; Dan. 709. Billum abreótan to destroy with swords, Cd. 153; Th. 190, 14; Exod. 199. [Laym. bil a falchion: O. Sax. bil, n: Dut. bijl, f: Ger. beil, beihel, n: M. H. Ger. bíle, bíl, n: O. H. Ger. bihal, bial, n: Sansk. bil to divide; findere.] DER. gúþ-bil, hilde-, stán-, twí-, wíg-, wudu-. bil,bill