First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1file
noun \ˈfī(-ə)l\
Definition of FILE
1
: a tool usually of hardened steel with cutting ridges for forming or smoothing surfaces especially of metal
2
: a shrewd or crafty person
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of FILE
Middle English, from Old English fēol; akin to Old High German fīla file
2file
verb
filedfil·ing
Definition of FILE
transitive verb
: to rub, smooth, or cut away with or as if with a file
First Known Use of FILE
13th century
3file
verb
filedfil·ing
Definition of FILE
transitive verb
chiefly dialect Origin of FILE
Middle English, from Old English fȳlan, from fūl foul
First Known Use: before 12th century
4file
verb
filedfil·ing
Definition of FILE
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 (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>
— fil·er \ˈfī-lər\ noun
Origin of FILE
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
First Known Use: 15th century
5file
noun
Definition of FILE
1
: a device (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 (as text or a program) treated by a computer as a unit especially for purposes of input and output
— on file
: in or as if in a file for ready reference
First Known Use of FILE
1525
Other Business Terms
6file
noun
Definition of FILE
1
2
: any of the rows of squares that extend across a chessboard from one player's side to the other player's side
Origin of FILE
Middle French, from filer to spin, draw out, from Late Latin filare, from Latin filum
First Known Use: 1598
7file
verb
filedfiling
Definition of FILE
intransitive verb
: to march or proceed in single file
First Known Use of FILE
1614
filé
noun fi·lé \fə-ˈlā, (ˌ)fē-ˈlā, ˈfē-(ˌ)lā\
Definition of FILÉ
: powdered young leaves of sassafras used to thicken soups or stews
Variants of FILÉ
fi·lé also fi·le \fə-ˈlā, (ˌ)fē-ˈlā, ˈfē-(ˌ)lā\
Origin of FILÉ
Louisiana French, from French, past participle of filer to twist, spin
First Known Use: 1806
Rhymes with FILÉ
abbé, affray, agley, airplay, airway, aisleway, all-day, allay, allée, Angers, Anhui, archway, array, ashtray, assay, astray, Augier, away, aweigh, backstay, ballet, base pay, bat ray, beignet, belay, beltway, benday, beret, betray, bewray, bidet, bikeway, birthday, Biscay, Bizet, blasé, bobstay, Bombay, Bossuet, bouchée, bouclé, boule, bouquet, Bourget, bourrée, breezeway, Bouvet, Broadway, buffet, byplay, byway, cachet, café, cahier, Cambay, Cathay, causeway, chaîné, chalet, chambray, chassé, child's play, ciré, cliché, congé, convey, co-pay, Corday, corvée, coudé, coupé, crawlway, crochet, croquet, crossway, cube, curé, cy pres, DA, daresay, D-day, death ray, decay, deejay, defray, delay, dengue, dismay, display, distrait, DJ, donnée, doomsday, doorway, dossier, downplay, dragée, driveway, duvet, Earl Grey, embay, épée, essay, estray, Ewe, fair play, fairway, Feuillet, field day, filet, fillet, fireclay, fishway, flambé, flight pay, floodway, flyway, folkway, footway, foray, force play, forebay, foreplay, forestay, formée, forte, fouetté, foul play, Fouquet, four-way, fourchée, foyer, franglais, frappé, freeway, Friday, frieze, fumet, gainsay, Galway, gamay, gangway, gateway, gelée, give way, glacé, godet, gourmet, Green Bay, greenway, guideway, gunplay, hair spray, halfway, hallway, Hannay, harm's way, hatchway, headway, hearsay, Hebei, Hefei, heyday, highway, hold sway, homestay, hooray, horseplay, Hubei, in play, in re, inlay, inveigh, Islay, issei, jackstay, James Bay, jennet, jeté, Jetway, Jolliet, keyway, Kobe, koine, kouprey, lamé, laneway, lay day, leeway, lifeway, Lomé, Lord's day, lwei, lycée, M-day, maguey, mainstay, make hay, Malay, malgré, man-day, Mande, Manet, manqué, margay, massé, match play, maté, May Day, Medway, melee, meze, midday, midway, Midway, Millay, Millet, mislay, misplay, moiré, Monday, Monet, Mornay, name day, Niamey, nisei, noonday, Norway, nosegay, obey, OK, olé, ombré, one-way, osprey, Otway, outlay, outré, outstay, outweigh, oyez, PA, parfait, parkway, parlay, parquet, partway, passé, pâté, pathway, pavé, payday, pearl gray, per se, pince-nez, pipe clay, piqué, piquet, pith ray, PK, plié, plissé, pommée, Pompeii, portray, prepay, projet, pulque, puree, purvey, quale, Quesnay, raceway, Rahway, railway, rappee, red bay, relay, repay, replay, risqué, roadway, Roget, role-play, ropeway, rosé, rosebay, Roubaix, roué, routeway, runway, sachet, saint's day, Salé, sansei, sashay, sauté, screenplay, scrub jay, seaway, Shark Bay, shar-pei, shipway, short-day, sick bay, sick day, sick pay, sideway, skyway, slideway, slipway, sluiceway, soigné, soiree, someday, someway, soothsay, soufflé, speedway, spillway, squeeze play, stairway, sternway, stingray, straightway, strathspey, stroke play, subway, Sunday, survey, sweet bay, swordplay, tea tray, tempeh, thoughtway, thruway, Thursday, tideway, today, Tokay, tollway, Torbay, touché, toupee, trackway, tramway, Tuesday, Twelfth Day, two-way, unlay, unsay, valet, V-day, veejay, vide, visé, Vouvray, walkway, waylay, Wednesday, weekday, white way, windway, wood ray, wordplay, workday
FILE[1] Defined for Kids
1file
noun \ˈfīl\
Definition of FILE for Kids
: a tool with sharp ridges or teeth for smoothing or rubbing down hard substances
2file
verb
filedfil·ing
Definition of FILE for Kids
: to rub, smooth, or cut away with a file <… they succeeded in filing the heavy brass collar from off his neck. — Jack London, The Call of the Wild>
3file
verb
filedfil·ing
Definition of FILE for Kids
1
: to arrange in an orderly way <He filed the cards in alphabetical order.>
2
: to enter or record officially <file a claim>
4file
noun
Definition of FILE for Kids
1
: a device (as a folder, case, or cabinet) for storing papers or records in an orderly way
2
: a collection of papers or records kept in a file
3
: a collection of data treated as a unit by a computer
5file
noun
Definition of FILE for Kids
: a row of persons or things arranged one behind the other <Please walk in single file.>
6file
verb
filedfil·ing
Definition of FILE for Kids
: to walk in a row <The entire class filed out of the building.>
Medical Dictionary
file
noun \ˈfī(ə)l\
Medical Definition of FILE
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 fil·ing
Learn More About FILE
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: file card (noun)Previous Word in the Dictionary: filchAll Words Near: file
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up file? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).