BILLET

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does billet mean? 

• BILLET (noun)
  The noun BILLET has 3 senses:

1. a short personal letter

2. lodging for military personnel (especially in a private home)

3. a job in an organization

  Familiarity information: BILLET used as a noun is uncommon.

• BILLET (verb)
  The verb BILLET has 1 sense:

1. provide housing for (military personnel)

  Familiarity information: BILLET used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BILLET (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A short personal letter

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

billet; line; note; short letter

Context example:

drop me a line when you get there

Hypernyms ("billet" is a kind of...):

personal letter (a letter dealing with personal affairs)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "billet"):

excuse (a note explaining an absence)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lodging for military personnel (especially in a private home)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("billet" is a kind of...):

housing; living accommodations; lodging (structures collectively in which people are housed)

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Derivation:

billet (provide housing for (military personnel))

Sense 3

Meaning:

A job in an organization

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

berth; billet; office; place; position; post; situation; spot

Context example:

he occupied a post in the treasury

Hypernyms ("billet" is a kind of...):

business; job; line; line of work; occupation (the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "billet"):

academicianship (the position of member of an honorary academy)

accountantship (the position of accountant)

admiralty (the office of admiral)

ambassadorship (the post of ambassador)

apostleship (the position of apostle)

apprenticeship (the position of apprentice)

associateship (the position of associate (as in an office or academy))

attorneyship (the position of attorney)

bailiffship (the office of bailiff)

baronetage (the state of a baronet)

bishopry; episcopate (the office and dignity of a bishop)

cadetship (the position of cadet)

caliphate (the office of a caliph)

captaincy; captainship (the post of captain)

cardinalate; cardinalship (the office of cardinal)

chairmanship (the position of chairman)

chancellorship (the office of chancellor)

chaplaincy; chaplainship (the position of chaplain)

chieftaincy; chieftainship (the position of chieftain)

clerkship (the job of clerk)

commandership; commandery (the position or office of commander)

comptrollership (the position of comptroller)

consulship (the post of consul)

controllership (the position of controller)

councillorship; councilorship (the position of council member)

counsellorship; counselorship (the position of counselor)

curacy (the position of a curate)

curatorship (the position of curator)

custodianship (the position of custodian)

deanery; deanship (the position or office of a dean)

directorship (the position of a director of a business concern)

discipleship (the position of disciple)

editorship (the position of editor)

eldership (the office of elder)

emirate (the office of an emir)

fatherhood (the status of a father)

fatherhood (the status of a religious leader)

foremanship (the position of foreman)

generalcy; generalship (the office and authority of a general)

governorship (the office of governor)

headship (the position of head)

headship (the position of headmaster or headmistress)

hot seat (a difficult position where you are subjected to stress and criticism)

incumbency (the office of an incumbent)

inspectorship (the office of inspector)

instructorship (the position of instructor)

internship (the position of a medical intern)

judgeship; judicature (the position of judge)

khanate (the position of a khan)

lectureship (the post of lecturer)

legateship; legation (the post or office of legate)

legislatorship (the office of legislator)

librarianship (the position of librarian)

lieutenancy (the position of a lieutenant)

magistracy; magistrature (the position of magistrate)

managership (the position of manager)

manhood (the status of being a man)

marshalship (the post of marshall)

mastership (the position of master)

mayoralty (the position of mayor)

messiahship (the position of messiah)

moderatorship (the position of moderator)

overlordship (the position of overlord)

pastorate; pastorship (the position of pastor)

peasanthood (the state of being a peasant)

plum (a highly desirable position or assignment)

praetorship (the office of praetor)

precentorship (the position of precentor)

preceptorship (the position of preceptor)

prefecture (the office of prefect)

prelacy; prelature (the office or station of a prelate)

premiership (the office of premier)

presidency; presidentship (the office and function of president)

primateship (the office of primate)

principalship (the post of principal)

priorship (the office of prior)

proconsulate; proconsulship (the position of proconsul)

proctorship (the position of proctor)

chair; professorship (the position of professor)

protectorship (the position of protector)

public office (a position concerning the people as a whole)

rabbinate (the office or function of a rabbi)

receivership (the office of a receiver)

rectorate; rectorship (the office or station of a rector)

regency (the office of a regent)

residency (the position of physician who is receiving special training in a hospital (usually after completing an internship))

rulership (the position of ruler)

sainthood (the status and dignity of a saint)

secretaryship (the position of secretary)

feudal lordship; seigneury; seigniory (the position and authority of a feudal lord)

senatorship (the office of senator)

sinecure (an office that involves minimal duties)

solicitorship (the position of solicitor)

speakership (the position of Speaker)

stewardship (the position of steward)

studentship (the position of student)

teachership (the position of teacher)

thaneship (the position of thane)

throne (the position and power of an exalted person (a sovereign or bishop) who is entitled to sit in a chair of state on ceremonial occasions)

treasurership (the position of treasurer)

tribuneship (the position of tribune)

trusteeship (the position of trustee)

vice-presidency (the office and function of a vice president)

viceroyship (the position of viceroy)

viziership (the position of vizier)

wardenship (the position of warden)

wardership (the position of warder)

womanhood (the status of a woman)

• BILLET (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Provide housing for (military personnel)

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

billet; canton; quarter

Hypernyms (to "billet" is one way to...):

accommodate; lodge (provide housing for)

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

billet (lodging for military personnel (especially in a private home))

 Context examples 

Traddles and I were separated at table, being billeted in two remote corners: he in the glare of a red velvet lady; I, in the gloom of Hamlet's aunt.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I rose and examined carefully the different billets of wood which were scattered round the floor.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But poetry—do you know how Vaughn Marlow makes his living? —teaching in a boys' cramming-joint down in Pennsylvania, and of all private little hells such a billet is the limit.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

‘No excuse will avail,’ said Mr. Duncan Ross; ‘neither sickness nor business nor anything else. There you must stay, or you lose your billet.’

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Though it was an autumn evening and somewhat warm, a huge fire of heaped billets of wood crackled and sparkled in a broad, open grate, some of the smoke escaping up a rude chimney, but the greater part rolling out into the room, so that the air was thick with it, and a man coming from without could scarce catch his breath.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I had worn out my boots paddling up office stairs, and I seemed just as far from getting a billet as ever.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Still, of course, I never dared to leave the room for an instant, for I was not sure when he might come, and the billet was such a good one, and suited me so well, that I would not risk the loss of it.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“You are two friends of mine who are in want of a billet, and what could be more natural than that I should bring you both round to the managing director?”

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Evidently, as they had dragged the stone up they had thrust the chunks of wood into the chink, until at last, when the opening was large enough to crawl through, they would hold it open by a billet placed lengthwise, which might very well become indented at the lower end, since the whole weight of the stone would press it down on to the edge of this other slab.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It had been used for the storage of wood, but the billets, which had evidently been littered over the floor, were now piled at the sides, so as to leave a clear space in the middle.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)