a folder, cabinet, or other container in which papers, letters, etc., are arranged in convenient order for storage or reference.
a collection of papers, records, etc., arranged in convenient order.
to make a file for a new account.
Computers. a collection of related data or program records stored on some input/output or auxiliary storage medium.
This program's main purpose is to update the customer master file.
a line of persons or things arranged one behind another (distinguished from rank).
Military.
a person in front of or behind another in a military formation.
one step on a promotion list.
one of the vertical lines of squares on a chessboard.
a list or roll.
a string or wire on which papers are strung for preservation and reference.
to place in a file.
to arrange (papers, records, etc.) in convenient order for storage or reference.
Journalism.
to arrange (copy) in the proper order for transmittal by wire.
to transmit (copy), as by wire or telephone.
He filed copy from Madrid all through the war.
to march in a file or line, one after another, as soldiers.
The parade filed past endlessly.
to make application.
to file for a civil-service job.
a long, narrow tool of steel or other metal having a series of ridges or points on its surfaces for reducing or smoothing surfaces of metal, wood, etc.
a small, similar tool for trimming and cleaning fingernails; nail file.
British Slang. a cunning, shrewd, or artful person.
a hand tool consisting essentially of a steel blade with small cutting teeth on some or all of its faces. It is used for shaping or smoothing metal, wood, etc
rare a cunning or deceitful person
a folder, box, etc, used to keep documents or other items in order
the documents, etc, kept in this way
documents or information about a specific subject, person, etc
we have a file on every known thief
an orderly line or row
a line of people in marching formation, one behind another Compare rank 1
any of the eight vertical rows of squares on a chessboard
computing a named collection of information, in the form of text, programs, graphics, etc, held on a permanent storage device such as a magnetic disk
obsolete a list or catalogue
a group of problems or responsibilities, esp in government, associated with a particular topic
the environment file
recorded or catalogued for reference, as in a file
to place (a document, letter, etc) in a file
(tr) to put on record, esp to place (a legal document) on public or official record; register
(tr) to bring (a suit, esp a divorce suit) in a court of law
(tr) to submit (copy) to a newspaper or news agency
(intr) to march or walk in a file or files
the ants filed down the hill
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English verb filen, from Middle French filer “to string documents on a thread or wire,” Old French: “to wind or spin thread,” from Vulgar Latin fīlāre “to wind or spin thread,” from the Latin noun fīlum “a string, thread”; the English noun is derived from the verb
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English fīl, fēol; cognate with German Feile; akin to Slavic (Polish) piła “saw”
First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English fȳlan “to befoul, defile,” derivative of fūl foul
1800–10, < Louisiana French; literally, twisted, ropy, stringy (perhaps originally applied to dishes thickened with the powder), past participle of French filer; see file 1
To file is to submit an application or a record to some official authority, like a court, police station, or city hall. You might file a complaint against your neighbor after he shovels the snow from his driveway into yours. People file for divorce, file for bankruptcy, and file charges against criminals. You can also file a receipt or a record at home, by putting it in a file folder and then sliding the folder into a file cabinet. When you stand "single file," you're in a line or queue, and if the group moves a few steps, you can say it files forward.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Lineage has racked up fines from both the county health department and the South Coast Air Quality Management District over the last several weeks as residents file complaints over ongoing odor issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
In Illinois, you need to file a formal document — a Renunciation of Nominated Executor or Renunciation of Right to Act — with the county probate court.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Police said their families had been informed and a file would be prepared for the coroner.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The following year the FBI opened a file on Smith, keeping tabs on her travel, her friends and colleagues, and her publications.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
“Here’s the contact information for the center. If you want to pursue this, call them Monday. Otherwise, we’ll send the file to the state’s attorney.”
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
Bailey's recipe calls for brandy and gumbo filé, which infuse the dish with a singular flavor.
From Salon ● Apr. 12, 2021
She describes what should be in your “Cajun larder,” defining filé powder and cane vinegar for the uninitiated.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 9, 2020
Plentiful throughout the Gulf Coast, crawfish and shrimp are Choctaw staples and traditional seasonings like filé, the spice ground from dried sassafras bark, and spicy chiles are a perfect accompaniment.
From New York Times ● Nov. 4, 2019
Dressed in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt, Guy was hunched over the gumbo, adding just the right measure of hot sauce and, at the end, Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole Cuisine gumbo filé.
From The New Yorker ● Mar. 4, 2019
Remove the vessel from the fire, and before pouring into the tureen, sprinkle in two tablespoonfuls of filé.
From Favorite Dishes : a Columbian Autograph Souvenir Cookery Book by Shuman, Carrie V.
On Monday, a representative for Lineage filed a permit with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety to rebuild the 491,000-square-foot warehouse to its “original, pre-fire condition.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Secretary of State Jane Nelson’s last day in office was Friday, three days after the complaint was filed.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
Shipton's daughter Tracy Faram Shipton said her mother was "horrifically traumatised" and had filed an appeal, arguing the sentence handed to Harris last week was unduly lenient.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The Chief Justice of India called for an independent investigation after a petition was filed in the Supreme Court alleging police brutality.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
When he and some of his coworkers volunteered to return to Fukushima Daiichi, they filed past a line of firefighters, policemen, and other employees who saluted them.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Moreover, the filing claims that the new entity reneged on a number of promises, including that members would keep their lifetime voting rights as well as their lifetime tickets to the award show.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
The company had about 26.6 million shares as of the end of 2025, according to its annual filing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The layoffs, outlined in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Monday, will affect about 180 staff and contract positions across BuzzFeed and its sister brands HuffPost and Tasty.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
"The removal of the US de minimis exemption has had an adverse impact on our sales in the US and the overall growth of our net revenues," Shein said in the filing.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The Court ruled unanimously in our favor, deciding that a condemned prisoner could challenge unconstitutional methods of execution by filing a civil rights case.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
