English
file
see also: File
Pronunciation
  • (British, America) IPA: /faɪl/, [faɪ̯ɫ]
Noun

file (plural files)

  1. A collection of papers collated and archived together.
    • c. 1604–1605, William Shakespeare, “All’s VVell, that Ends VVell”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene iii]:
      It is upon a file with the duke's other letters.
  2. A roll or list.
    • c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act V, scene ii]:
      a file of all the gentry
  3. Course of thought; thread of narration.
    • Let me resume the file of my narration.
  4. (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.
Synonyms Translations Translations Verb

file (files, present participle filing; past and past participle filed)

  1. (transitive) To commit (official papers) to some office.
  2. (transitive) To place in an archive in a logical place and order
  3. (transitive) To store a file aggregation of data on a storage medium such as a disc or another computer.
  4. (intransitive, with for, chiefly legal) 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.
  5. (transitive, obsolete) To set in order; to arrange, or lay away.
    • 1606, Francis Beaumont; John Fletcher, “The Woman-Hater”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: Printed for Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, OCLC 3083972 ↗, Act 1, scene 2:
      I would have my several courses and my dishes well filed.
Translations Translations Translations Translations Noun

file (plural files)

  1. A column of people one behind another, whether "single file" or in a large group with many files side by side.
    The troops marched in Indian file.
  2. (military) A small detachment of soldiers.
  3. (chess) one of the eight vertical lines of squares on a chessboard (i.e., those identified by a letter). The analog horizontal lines are the ranks.
Translations Translations Verb

file (files, present participle filing; 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)

  1. 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.
  2. (slang, archaic) A cunning or resourceful person.
    • Will is an old file, in spite of his smooth face.
Translations Verb

file (files, present participle filing; 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 752825175 ↗:
      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.
Translations Verb

file (files, present participle filing; past and past participle filed)

  1. (archaic) to defile
  2. to corrupt
File
Proper noun
  1. Surname


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