file

Noun

file (plural files)

1. A collection of papers collated and archived together.
   • c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:

     It is upon a file with the duke's other letters.

   • 1968 April 5, Paul Simon, “Mrs. Robinson”, in Bookends‎, performed by Simon & Garfunkel:

     We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
     We'd like to help you learn to help yourself

2. A roll or list.
   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:

     a file of all the gentry

3. A course of thought; a thread of narration.
   • 1642, Henry Wotton, A Short View of the Life and Death of George Villiers:

     Let me resume the file of my narration.

5. (computing) An aggregation of data on a storage device, identified by a name.

   I'm going to delete these unwanted files to free up some disk space.

6. (Should we delete⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (computing) The primary item on the menu bar, containing commands such as open, save, print, etc.
7. A row of modular kitchen units and a countertop, consisting of cabinets and appliances below (dishwasher) and next to (stove/cooker) a countertop.

   Many homes now have double-file kitchens.

8. (Canada, US) Clipping of file cabinet.
   • 2010, Beth Critchley Charlton, Englaging the DisEngaged‎, page 71:

     The Nonfiction Vertical File: […] I spent my university years working in the library at the Maritime School of Social Work. One of my responsibilities was to keep the library's vertical file up to date. The vertical file was a cabinet full of current newspaper and magazine clippings on topics of interest to the students and faculty of the school.

Verb

file (third-person singular simple present files, present participle filing, simple past and past participle filed)

1. (transitive) To commit (official papers) to some office.

   She filed their accounts yesterday.

   • 2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     The episode’s unwillingness to fully commit to the pathos of the Bart-and-Laura subplot is all the more frustrating considering its laugh quota is more than filled by a rollicking B-story that finds Homer, he of the iron stomach and insatiable appetite, filing a lawsuit against The Frying Dutchman when he’s hauled out of the eatery against his will after consuming all of the restaurant’s shrimp (plus two plastic lobsters).

2. (transitive) (of a journalist) To submit (an article) to a newspaper or similar publication.

   I filed my copy soon after the interview.

3. (transitive) To place in an archive in a logical place and order.

   Troves of documents filed away in the depository.

4. (transitive) To store a file (aggregation of data) on a storage medium such as a disc or another computer.
6. (intransitive, with for, chiefly law) To submit a formal request to some office.

   She filed for divorce the next day.

   The company filed for bankruptcy when the office opened on Monday.

   They filed for a refund under their warranty.

7. (transitive, obsolete) To set in order; to arrange, or lay away.
   • 1606, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Woman-Hater”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii:

     I would have my several courses and my dishes well filed.

Noun

file (plural files)

2. A column of people one behind another, whether "single file" or in a grid pattern.

   Antonym: rank

   The troops marched in Indian file.

3. (military) A small detachment of soldiers.
5. (chess) One of the eight vertical lines of squares on a chessboard (i.e., those identified by a letter).

   Antonym: rank

Verb

file (third-person singular simple present files, present participle filing, simple past and past participle filed)

1. (intransitive) To move in a file.

   The applicants kept filing into the room until it was full.

Noun

file (plural files)

2. A hand tool consisting of a handle to which a block of coarse metal is attached, and used for removing sharp edges or for cutting, especially through metal.
3. (slang, archaic) A cunning or resourceful person.
   • 1857–1859, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, The Virginians. A Tale of the Last Century, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1858–1859, →OCLC:

     Will is an old file, in spite of his smooth face.

   • 1743, Henry Fielding, The Life and Death of Jonathan Wild, the Great:

     The greatest character among them was that of a Pickpocket, or, in truer language, a File.

Verb

file (third-person singular simple present files, present participle filing, simple past and past participle filed)

1. (transitive) To smooth, grind, or cut with a file.

   I'd better file the bottoms of the table legs. Otherwise they will scratch the flooring.

   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:

     Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.

Verb

file (third-person singular simple present files, present participle filing, simple past and past participle filed)

1. (archaic) To defile.
   • 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], Act I:

     I cannot thinke […] So true a bird would file ſo faire a neſt, […]

   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

     for Banquo's issue have I fil'd my mind

2. To corrupt.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfilə/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: fi‧le

Noun

file f (plural files, diminutive filetje n)

1. traffic jam

   Synonym: opstopping

2. (dated) queue

   Synonym: rij

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɑi̯l/, /fɛi̯l/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: file

Noun

file m (plural files, diminutive filetje n)

1. (computing) file (an aggregation of data on a storage device identified by a name)

Declension

Derived terms

Derived terms

Descendants

• → Dutch: file (“queue, traffic jam”)
• → English: file (“column of people”)
• → Spanish: fila