Bill ( weapon ) The bill is a polearm weapon used by infantry in medieval Europe . The bill is similar in size , function and appearance to the halberd , differing mainly in the hooked blade form . Other terms for the bill include English bill , bill hook or bill - guisarme . Design . Derived originally from the agricultural billhook , the bill consisted of a hooked chopping blade with several pointed projections mounted on a staff . The end of the cutting blade curves forward to form a hook , which is the bill ' s distinguishing characteristic . In addition , the blade almost universally had one pronounced spike straight off the top like a spear head , and also a hook or spike mounted on the ' reverse ' side of the blade . There were many types of bill . English bills tended to be relatively short , with broad chopping heads , while Italian bills ( ronche ) often had very long thrusting points . The English distinguished between several varieties of bill , including the black , brown and forest bills , but the differences between them are currently not fully understood . George Silver , writing in 1599 , stated that the ( military ) black bill should be long , while the ( possibly civilian ) forest bill should be long . One advantage that it had over other polearms was that while it had the stopping power of a spear and the power of an axe , it also had the addition of a pronounced hook . If the sheer power of a swing did not fell the horse or its rider , the bill ' s hook was excellent at finding a chink in the plate armour of cavalrymen at the time , dragging the unlucky horseman off his mount to be finished off with either a sword , spear or the bill itself . These characteristics also made it effective against heavily armoured infantry , dragging them into the melee or exploiting the weak points in their armour . The small point found on the trailing edge of some bills was useful for puncturing armour as well — concentrating the force of the blow onto the point . During the 16th century when most European states were adopting the pike and arquebus , the English preferred to stick with the combination of bill and English longbow . Even in the Elizabethan period , bills were still common with levies sent to fight the Scots . The Battle of Flodden Field ( 1513 ) was a classic match between Continental - style Pikes formations ( Scots ) and Billmen ( English ) . Along with the pike , the bill is mentioned as being one of the main weapons of the Irish rebels in Ulster during the 1798 rebellion . Variants . The shorthanded bills were used by the army of historic India as well , mainly by infantrymen of Bengal . Nowadays smaller versions are used as agricultural tools and as kitchen appliances . An agricultural version , commonly known as either a brush - ax or bush - ax , is readily available in rural hardware and farm - supply stores in the United States today . It has a handle , and a head . It is extremely useful for clearing undergrowth and unwanted hedgerows . Both the concave and convex edges may be sharpened edges , but spear - points and back - hooks are not available . Expertly used , the brush - ax can fell a tree with a single blow . Inexpertly used , it can pose a grave danger of accidental maiming to those standing nearby .