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

The Internal Revenue Service raised the thresholds for taxes filed this year to adjust for inflation. —Elisabeth Buchwald, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

Fortunately, filing for a six-month extension is a fairly easy process. —Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2024

The Star-Telegram filed its request after hearing from Waters about his request. —Noah Alcala Bach, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2024

At the height of their popularity in 2021, SPACs accounted for around 60% of the more than 1,000 IPOs filed that year and about 50% of the $286 billion raised, according to Nasdaq data. —María Soledad Davila Calero, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024

Alec Baldwin moves to dismiss charges against him in fatal 'Rust' shooting case Defense attorneys filed an emergency motion for a new trial and Gutierrez's release from custody last month, arguing that the jury instructions could lead to a non-unanimous verdict. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2024

Several Wisconsin communities have filed lawsuits against PFAS manufacturers, including Wausau, Dane County, the city of La Crosse and the Town of Peshtigo. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024

After the board went ahead anyway, Drummond filed suit to stop it, saying members of the charter school board had intentionally violated their oath of office. —Laura Meckler, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024

Evers filed a brief the same day as the state's presidential primary, asking the court to overturn a 2022 ruling that limited the location of drop boxes in Wisconsin. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2024

Noun

John Fleenor / Disney file While Nance made it through to the next week, receiving a rose over fellow contestant Maria Georgas, some viewers didn’t agree with Graziadei’s choice. —Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024

Howard told me that Pecker had spent thousands of dollars to buy the file from a private investigator. —Lachlan Cartwright, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024

The catalog holds descriptions of NARA's holdings that researchers can use to locate files, but a computer can't always pick up the text within the files, NARA Catalog Community Manager Suzanne Isaacs told USA TODAY. —USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024

Migrating your subscription data to a platform other than YouTube Music is a little more complicated and requires the user to download an Outline Processor Markup Language file or by way of the Google Takeout function. —Davey Winder, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

But as the files began flowing in two weeks ago, the university’s director of financial aid was alarmed. —Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024

The exact breakdown of the 119,000 pages of documents remains unclear, but the DA's office argues that most of the files are irrelevant to the case or have already been produced. —Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 25 Mar. 2024

These files pile up over time and end up slowing your phone. —Dua Rashid / Gizmodo, Quartz, 24 Mar. 2024

Image metadata is attached and there is a link to the actual RAW/DNG file. —Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024

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

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

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