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single file
noun
: a row of persons, animals, or things arranged one behind the other
single file
adverb
Examples of single file in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The state maintains a single file that records every legal handgun transfer since 1996 and every rifle and shotgun transfer since 2014.
—Karim Doumar, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2023
The trees grew single file, straight and flat, and latticed together to form a fence.
—Frederick Kaufman, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
To reach it required walking single file through pitch darkness and walking down long flights of stairs carved into the earth.
—Isabel Kershner, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2024
At one stop, schoolchildren in matching neon vests marched single file along the tracks.
—Kimberley Lovato, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2023
In this volatile environment, students at the José Urbina López Primary School wear crisp uniforms and diligently stand in single file, obeying their teachers’ pleas for silence, even though the sound of gunfire might erupt at any moment.
—Pat Padua, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023
The narrow width can be a nightmare for soldiers who have to move single file through them.
—Justin Scheck, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2023
The two teams, representing the world’s two longstanding baseball superpowers, entered the field at loanDepot Park on Tuesday in a single file from each outfield corner.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2023
The soon-to-be 88-year-old Dr. Glenn Bynum quietly assesses each fighter as men of varying ages, ethnicities and weight classes line up single file in their underwear for the stressful final weigh-in.
—William Lee, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'single file.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1609, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near single file
Cite this Entry
“Single file.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single%20file. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
single file
noun
: a line of persons or things arranged one behind another
single file
adverb
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