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file

noun
/faɪl/UK

Etymology

From Middle English file, fyle, from Old English fēl, fēol (“file”), from earlier fīil, from Proto-Germanic *finhlō, *finhilō (“file, rasp”), from Proto-Indo-European *peyḱ- (“to adorn, form”). Cognate with West Frisian file (“file”), Dutch vijl (“file”), German Feile (“file”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish fil (“file”), Icelandic þjöl (“rasp, file”).

  1. derived from *peyḱ-✻
  2. inherited from *finhlō✻
  3. inherited from fēl
  4. inherited from file

Definitions

  1. A collection of papers collated and archived together.

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

    • a file of all the gentry

  3. A course of thought

    A course of thought; a thread of narration.

    • Let me resume the file of my narration.
  4. ›+ 20 more definitions

    1. An aggregation of data on a storage device, identified by a name.

      • He had created a file for coding to design a new product.
      • I'm going to delete these unwanted files to free up some disk space.

    2. A row of modular kitchen units and a countertop, consisting of cabinets and appliances…

      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.

    3. Clipping of file cabinet.

    4. To commit (official papers) to some office.

      • She filed their accounts yesterday.

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

      • I filed my copy soon after the interview.

    6. To place in an archive in a logical place and order.

      • Troves of documents filed away in the depository.

    7. To store a file (aggregation of data) on a storage medium such as a disc or another…

      To store a file (aggregation of data) on a storage medium such as a disc or another computer.

    8. 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.

    9. To set in order

      To set in order; to arrange, or lay away.

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

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

      • The troops marched in Indian file.

    11. A small detachment of soldiers.

    12. One of the eight vertical lines of squares on a chessboard (i.e., those identified by a…

      One of the eight vertical lines of squares on a chessboard (i.e., those identified by a letter).

    13. To move in a file.

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

    14. A tool consisting of a strip or rod of hardened and coarse metal, used for removing sharp…

      A tool consisting of a strip or rod of hardened and coarse metal, used for removing sharp edges, shaping, and cutting, especially through metal; usually a hand tool.

    15. A cunning or resourceful person.

      • Will is an old file, in spite of his smooth face.
      • The greatest character among them was that of a Pickpocket, or, in truer language, a File.

    16. A pickpocket.

      • The greatest character among them was that of a pickpocket, or, in their language, a file.

    17. To smooth, grind, or cut with a file.

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

    18. To defile.

      • I cannot thinke […] So true a bird would file ſo faire a neſt, […]
      • for Banquo's issue have I fil'd my mind

    19. To corrupt.

    20. A surname.

The neighborhood

Derived

enfile, fileable, file away, filing clerk, filing fee, filings, interfile, misfile, prefile, refile, unfile, unfiled, closed file, double file, e-file, file-card, file closer, half-open file, Indian file, open file, ranger file, rank and file, semi-open file, single file, befile

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at file. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01file02thought03nation04loosely05approximately06imprecise07error08statement09document

A definitional loop anchored at file. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

9 hops · closes at file

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA