air bill

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablebusiness

   A document that lists the goods sent by air and acts as the receipt and shipping contract.

   Grammar: Countable: an air bill, two air bills.

   Patterns

   • an air bill for something
   • fill out an air bill
   • air bill number

   The courier asked me to sign the air bill before taking the box.

   Keep the air bill number so you can track the parcel online.

   The air bill shows the weight, the sender and the destination.

2. 2nouncountablebusiness

   A list of charges for carrying goods by air.

   Grammar: Countable; often used with the verb pay.

   Patterns

   • pay an air bill
   • the air bill for a shipment

   The air bill for that heavy crate was higher than we expected.

   We pay all air bills at the end of the month.

   She checked the air bill to see how the cost was calculated.

Word forms

Common combinations

fill out an air bill

Please fill out an air bill for each package.

air bill number

Write the air bill number on the outside of the envelope.

sign the air bill

The driver waited while I signed the air bill.

pay an air bill

The company pays its air bills by bank transfer.

Synonyms and how they differ

air waybill

This is the full, official term used by airlines and freight companies; air bill is a shorter everyday version.

waybill

A waybill can cover any transport method, while an air bill is specifically for air freight.

Word family

airway bill noun

Another spelling of air waybill, the full name for this document.

Commonly confused: air bill or airfare?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “air bill”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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