file

1 of 8

noun (1)

ˈfī(-ə)l 

1

: a tool usually of hardened steel with cutting ridges for forming or smoothing surfaces especially of metal

2

: a shrewd or crafty person

file

2 of 8

verb (1)

filed; filing

transitive verb

: to rub, smooth, or cut away with or as if with a file

She filed her nails.

file

3 of 8

verb (2)

filed; filing

transitive verb

chiefly dialectal

: defile, corrupt

file

4 of 8

verb (3)

filed; filing

transitive verb

1

: to arrange in order for preservation and reference

file letters

2

a

: to place among official records as prescribed by law

file a mortgage

b

: to send (copy) to a newspaper

filed a story

c

: to return to the office of the clerk of a court without action on the merits

3

: to initiate (something, such as a legal action) through proper formal procedure

threatened to file charges

intransitive verb

1

: to register as a candidate especially in a primary election

2

: to place items in a file

3

: to submit documents necessary to initiate a legal proceeding

file for bankruptcy

filer

ˈfī-lər 

noun

file

5 of 8

noun (2)

1

: a device (such as a folder, case, or cabinet) by means of which papers are kept in order

2

a

archaic : roll, list

b

: a collection of papers or publications usually arranged or classified

c(1)

: a collection of related data records (as for a computer)

(2)

: a complete collection of data (such as text or a program) treated by a computer as a unit especially for purposes of input and output

file

6 of 8

noun (3)

1

: single file

2

: any of the rows of squares that extend across a chessboard from one player's side to the other player's side

file

7 of 8

verb (4)

filed; filing

intransitive verb

: to march or proceed in single file

filé

8 of 8

noun (4)

fi·​lé fə-ˈlā 

(ˌ)fē-ˈlā,

ˈfē-(ˌ)lā

variants or less commonly file

: powdered young leaves of sassafras used to thicken soups or stews

Phrases

on file

: in or as if in a file for ready reference

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• buff
• grind
• hone
• rasp
• rub
• sand

Noun (3)

• column
• cue
• line
• queue
• range
• string
• train

Verb (4)

• march
• pace
• parade
• stride

Examples of file in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

After a Utah judge issued a protection-from-abuse order against Derek at Nancy’s request in August, Derek filed for divorce the following day in Mobile County, per Fox 10 News. —Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 1 Oct. 2023

The alliance, led by conservative activist Edward Blum, filed its lawsuit in August, a month after the U.S. Supreme Court effectively banned race-conscious college admissions through rulings on cases that Blum initiated against Harvard and the University of North Carolina. —Julian Mark, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2023

Asghari, 29, filed for divorce from the pop star in mid-August. —Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2023

Other authors, including Sarah Silverman and Michael Chabon, have filed similar lawsuits against Meta and OpenAI. —Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Sep. 2023

In their response filed in court, the Tuohys say all the money received from the movie has been split equally between Sean and Leigh Anne, their two children and Oher – 20% each. —Brynn Gingras, CNN, 29 Sep. 2023

Feinstein's most recent financial disclosure form, filed in May, shows that her wealth included millions held in a blind trust — a standard financial arrangement for members of Congress — U.S. Treasury bills and other low-risk instruments, and money stashed in several large bank accounts. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2023

Jim Trotter, a former reporter for NFL Media from 2018 to 2023, said in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court that he was not offered a new contract in retaliation for questioning NFL officials about the league’s hiring practices pertaining to race. —Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2023

The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska terminated Brady’s employment the same day charges were filed, said Raeanne Holmes, a spokeswoman for the council. —Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Sep. 2023

Noun

Defense attorneys and members of the parole commission are all given access to the defendant's case file, including a psychological evaluation, Lewin said. —Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 21 Sep. 2023

James Nielsen / Houston Chronicle via Getty Images file Tailbone amputation for cosmetic reasons is banned in at least 10 states and several countries, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, which condemns the practice. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 21 Sep. 2023

Drawing from interviews with family members and law enforcement officials and hundreds of government documents and secret FBI files, Jason Fagone and Julie Johnson meticulously tell Oakes’ story. —Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 20 Sep. 2023

And the housing authority in Salem took four apartments in a downtown tower for seniors and converted them into offices, including a break room and space for file storage. —Todd Wallack, ProPublica, 19 Sep. 2023

Another key part of this update is image transparency, including support to open and save transparent PNG files with no backgrounds — dovetailing nicely with another recent Paint addition that brought in a background removal tool. —Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 18 Sep. 2023

Cybercriminals seeking an extortion payment often gain access to a victim’s computer networks, then either encrypt file systems by installing malicious software called ransomware, threatening to release sensitive information, or both. —Kevin Collier, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2023

For example, file format options are in the overlay menu, but not the full text menu. —PCMAG, 13 Sep. 2023

Then a researcher who was helping me on this story found something—files from a court case involving Big Dishman. —Jenisha Watts, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb (1)

Middle English, from Old English fēol; akin to Old High German fīla file

Verb (2)

Middle English, from Old English fȳlan, from fūl foul

Verb (3) and Noun (2)

Middle English, from Medieval Latin filare to string documents on a string or wire, from filum file of documents, literally, thread, from Latin; akin to Armenian ǰil sinew

Noun (3) and Verb (4)

Middle French, from filer to spin, draw out, from Late Latin filare, from Latin filum

Noun (4)

Louisiana French, from French, past participle of filer to twist, spin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (4)

1614, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1806, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing file

• data file
• circular file
• cross-file
• file/bring (a) suit
• file cabinet
• Indian file
• file/initiate a lawsuit
• file clerk
• sub-file
• single file
• vertical file
• rank and file
• the rank and file
• rat-tail file
• file for bankruptcy
• zip file
• nail file
• pre-file
• on file

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• data file
• circular file
• cross-file
• file/bring (a) suit
• file cabinet
• Indian file
• file/initiate a lawsuit
• file clerk
• sub-file
• single file
• vertical file
• rank and file
• the rank and file
• rat-tail file
• file for bankruptcy
• zip file
• nail file
• pre-file
• on file

See More

Kids Definition

file

1 of 6 noun

ˈfīl 

: a usually steel tool with sharp ridges or teeth on its surface for smoothing hard substances

file

2 of 6 verb

filed; filing

: to rub, smooth, or cut away with a file

file

3 of 6 verb

filed; filing

1

: to arrange in order for keeping or reference

2

: to enter or record as required by law

file

4 of 6 noun

1

: a device (as a folder, case, or cabinet) for keeping papers or records in order

2

a

: a collection of papers or records arranged in order

b

: a collection of data considered as a unit (as for a computer)

file

5 of 6 noun

: a row of persons, animals, or things arranged one behind the other

file

6 of 6 verb

filed; filing

: to march or proceed in file

Etymology

Noun

Old English fēol "tool for smoothing rough edges"

Verb

Middle English filen "to arrange (documents) in order," from Medieval Latin filare "to thread documents on a string," derived from Latin filum "thread" — related to file entry 5

Noun

from early French file "a row of things," from filer (verb) "to spin," derived from Latin filum "thread" — related to file entry 3

Medical Definition

file

noun

ˈfī(ə)l 

1

: a tool usually of hardened steel with cutting ridges for forming or smoothing surfaces (as of a tooth)

2

: a narrow instrument for shaping fingernails with a fine rough metal or emery surface

file transitive verb

filed; filing

Legal Definition

file

1 of 2 verb

filed; filing

transitive verb

1

a

: to submit (a legal document) to the proper office (as the office of a clerk of court) for keeping on file among the records especially as a procedural step in a legal transaction or proceeding

filed a tax return

a financing statement filed with the Secretary of State

filing a notice of appeal

also : record

filed a mortgage in the Registry of Deeds

Note: In nearly all cases, a document is deemed to be filed when it is actually received by the office to which it is directed. A few cases, however, have held that a document is filed upon the mailing of it.

b

: to place (as a document) on file among the records of an office especially by formally receiving and endorsing

a complaint filed by the clerk despite the absence of the filing fee

2

: to return (the documentation in a case) to the records of a clerk of court without any determination of the case

broadly : to conclude (a case) without a determination on its merits

3

: to initiate (a judicial or administrative proceeding) by submitting the proper documents or following proper procedure : bring

threatened to file charges

two separate actions were filed by representatives of the estates

—J. H. Friedenthal et al.

intransitive verb

1

: to register as a candidate especially in a primary election

2

: to place items in a file

file

2 of 2 noun

: a collection of papers or publications usually arranged or classified

specifically : the papers that make up the record of a case