single file
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of single file
First recorded in 1660–70
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"In the end, everything worked out. Everyone went down in a single file, everyone helping, and we managed to finish the trail, see the sunrise, and experience that adrenaline rush," Nobre told the paper.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
It used to take me a few days to get all my different receipts into a single file for my accountant.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026
Drone footage from the weekend showed long lines of men and boys standing or walking in single file.
From Salon • Oct. 30, 2024
They move in single file towards the tree as a flute plays.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2023
They passed single file between the cops—six in number, Moss counted.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
