file

1
[ fahyl ]
See synonyms for: filefiledfilesfiling on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a folder, cabinet, or other container in which papers, letters, etc., are arranged in convenient order for storage or reference.

  2. a collection of papers, records, etc., arranged in convenient order: to make a file for a new account.

  1. 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.

  2. a line of persons or things arranged one behind another (distinguished from rank1 def. 10).

  3. Military.

    • a person in front of or behind another in a military formation.

    • one step on a promotion list.

  4. one of the vertical lines of squares on a chessboard.

  5. a list or roll.

  6. a string or wire on which papers are strung for preservation and reference.

verb (used with object),filed, fil·ing.
  1. to place in a file.

  2. to arrange (papers, records, etc.) in convenient order for storage or reference.

  1. 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.

verb (used without object),filed, fil·ing.
  1. to march in a file or line, one after another, as soldiers: The parade filed past endlessly.

  2. to make application: to file for a civil-service job.

Idioms about file

  1. on file, arranged in order for convenient reference; in a file: The names are on file in the office.

Origin of file

1
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

Other words for file

Other words from file

  • file·a·ble, adjective
  • filer, noun
  • non·fil·er, noun

Words that may be confused with file

Words Nearby file

Other definitions for file (2 of 4)

file2
[ fahyl ]

noun
  1. 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.

  2. a small, similar tool for trimming and cleaning fingernails; nail file.

  1. British Slang. a cunning, shrewd, or artful person.

verb (used with object),filed, fil·ing.
  1. to reduce, smooth, or remove with or as if with a file.

Origin of file

2
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English fīl, fēol; cognate with German Feile; akin to Slavic (Polish) piła “saw”

Other words from file

  • file·a·ble, adjective
  • filer, noun

Other definitions for file (3 of 4)

file3
[ fahyl ]

verb (used with object),filed, fil·ing.Archaic.
  1. to defile; corrupt.

Origin of file

3
First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English fȳlan “to befoul, defile,” derivative of fūl foul

Other definitions for filé (4 of 4)

filé
[ fi-ley, fee-ley ]

nounNew Orleans Cooking.
  1. a powder made from the ground leaves of the sassafras tree, used as a thickener and to impart a pungent taste to soups, gumbos, and other dishes.

Origin of filé

4
1800–10, Americanism;<Louisiana French; literally, twisted, ropy, stringy (perhaps originally applied to dishes thickened with the powder), past participle of French filer;see file1
  • Also called filé powder .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use file in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for file (1 of 3)

file1

/ (faɪl) /


noun
  1. a folder, box, etc, used to keep documents or other items in order

  2. the documents, etc, kept in this way

  1. documents or information about a specific subject, person, etc: we have a file on every known thief

  2. an orderly line or row

  3. a line of people in marching formation, one behind another: Compare rank 1 (def. 6)

  4. any of the eight vertical rows of squares on a chessboard

  5. 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

  6. obsolete a list or catalogue

  7. Canadian a group of problems or responsibilities, esp in government, associated with a particular topic: the environment file

  8. on file recorded or catalogued for reference, as in a file

verb
  1. to place (a document, letter, etc) in a file

  2. (tr) to put on record, esp to place (a legal document) on public or official record; register

  1. (tr) to bring (a suit, esp a divorce suit) in a court of law

  2. (tr) to submit (copy) to a newspaper or news agency

  3. (intr) to march or walk in a file or files: the ants filed down the hill

Origin of file

1
C16 (in the sense: string on which documents are hung): from Old French filer, from Medieval Latin fīlāre; see filament

Derived forms of file

  • filer, noun

British Dictionary definitions for file (2 of 3)

file2

/ (faɪl) /


noun
  1. 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

  2. rare, British slang a cunning or deceitful person

verb
  1. (tr) to shape or smooth (a surface) with a file

Origin of file

2
Old English fīl; related to Old Saxon fīla, Old High German fīhala file, Greek pikros bitter, sharp

Derived forms of file

  • filer, noun

British Dictionary definitions for file (3 of 3)

file3

/ (faɪl) /


verb
  1. (tr) obsolete to pollute or defile

Origin of file

3
Old English fӯlan; related to Middle Low German vülen; see defile 1, filth, foul

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for file

file

[ fīl ]


  1. A collection of related data or program records stored as a unit with a single name. Files are the basic units that a computer works with in storing and retrieving data.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with file

file

see in single file; on file; rank and file.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.