on file

Idioms  

1. In or as if in a record for easy reference. For example, There's no job open right now, but we'll keep your résumé on file. The use of file in the sense of “a collection of papers stored for ready reference” dates from the early 1600s.

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Example Sentences

While reviewing your records, gather documentation of your earnings for those years, especially if you believe the agency has the wrong income information on file.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026

The jury could not reach a verdict on the assault charge and the Crown Prosecution Service did not seek a retrial, so the count was allowed to lie on file.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

When he called, he said, the representative didn’t have anything on file about the update, so he completed a new form.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

When ballots are sent by mail, election officials are required to verify a voter’s signature on the ballot by comparing it with the signature on the official voter registration records on file.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

Today most Americans have their tissue on file somewhere.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• documented
• listed
• registered
• reported
• taped