Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - fill in

1. If you fill in a form or other document requesting information, you write information in the spaces on it. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use fill out) If you want your free copy of the Patients’ Charter fill this form in... Fill in the coupon and send it first class to the address shown. = fill out PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P n (not pron) 2. If you fill in a shape, you cover the area inside the lines with colour or shapes so that none of the background is showing. When you have both filled in your patterns, you may want to share these with each other... With a lip pencil, outline lips and fill them in. PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P 3. If you fill someone in, you give them more details about something that you know about. (INFORMAL) I didn’t give Reid all the details yet–I’ll fill him in... He filled her in on Wilbur Kantor’s visit. PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V n P on n 4. If you fill in for someone, you do the work or task that they normally do because they are unable to do it. Vice-presidents’ wives would fill in for first ladies. = stand in PHRASAL VERB: V P for n 5. If you are filling in time, you are using time that is available by doing something that is not very important. That’s not a career. She’s just filling in time until she gets married. PHRASAL VERB: usu passive, V P n (not pron) 6. see also fill 3