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.
The group sent a letter Monday to the Justice Department asking it to file court documents attesting to the fund being dead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
If the other driver’s insurer denies liability or disputes the claim, you may have to negotiate with them, file a complaint if appropriate, or even pursue legal action.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
“I will file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
If you believe you were the victim of deceptive marketing practices, file complaints with the FTC, the Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
Then Jonah could whisper, directly into her ear, “I’m going to distract Mr. Reardon. Look inside that file on his desk. Memorize as much of it as you can.”
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
His sliver of a restaurant in TriBeCa is named for filé powder, the ground sassafras thickener often used for making gumbo.
From New York Times ● May 24, 2022
Bailey's recipe calls for brandy and gumbo filé, which infuse the dish with a singular flavor.
From Salon ● Apr. 12, 2021
Sprinkle with the parsley or scallions, if using, and serve with hot sauce and filé powder, if desired.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 9, 2021
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.
California, New York and 10 other states filed a lawsuit seeking to block the merger under federal and state antimonopoly laws.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
The legal nonprofit Civil Liberties Defense Center filed a motion seeking to quash the subpoena, arguing that their client was exercising protected free speech.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
On Monday, Chen filed another claim against the developers, the Madison Collection LLC, seeking to oust its property managers and transfer control to Panshi.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
The states filed suit at the US Court of International Trade in New York, asking that judges halt the implementation of the tariffs, declare them unlawful and order the government to issue refunds.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
The door slid open and the robots filed out.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
“They’re not actually filing any criminal charges where we can challenge the vagueness, the overreach and the abuse of that statute,” said Regan, the civil-rights attorney.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
"The damage was the result of a botched installation and not vandalism," she wrote in a 20-page court filing announcing her department's decision.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
At 19-pages long, the filing to dismiss Hearn’s case blew what is customary out of the water.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
The girl was not named in the filing due to privacy concerns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
My chair slides back into a filing cabinet.
From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty
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.
