file Hear it!

file¹ Definition

file (fīl)

transitive verb filed, fil′·ing

    1. to arrange (papers, etc.) in order for future reference
    2. to put (a paper, etc.) in its proper place or order
  2. ☆ to dispatch (a news story) to a newspaper, news agency, etc.
  3. to register (an application, etc.)
  4. to put (a legal document) on public record
  5. to initiate (a divorce suit or other legal action)

Etymology: ME filen < OFr filer, to string documents on thread, orig., to spin thread < LL filare, to spin < L filum, thread < IE base *gwhislo- > Lith gýsla, sinew

intransitive verb

  1. to move in a line to file out of a building
  2. ☆ to register oneself as a candidate (for a political office)
  3. to make application (for divorce proceedings, etc.)

noun

  1. a container, as a folder, cabinet, etc., for keeping papers in order
  2. an orderly arrangement of papers, cards, etc., as for reference
  3. a line of persons or things situated one behind another
  4. any of the rows of squares on a chessboard extending from one player's end to the other
  5. Comput. a collection of data (or, often, of logically related records) stored and dealt with as a single, named unit

Etymology: filesenses , , & < the v.; & < Fr file < L filum

file¹ Related Forms

file′·able adjective fil′er noun

file¹ Idioms

in file

in line, one behind another

on file

(kept) in or as in a file for reference

file² Definition

file (fīl)

noun

  1. a steel tool with a rough, ridged surface for smoothing, grinding down, or cutting through something
  2. Brit., Slang a crafty rascal

Etymology: ME < OE feol (Mercian fil), akin to Ger feile < Du vijl, prob. < IE base *peik-, var. of *peig-, to scratch, prick > paint

transitive verb filed, fil′·ing

to smooth, grind down, or cut through as with a file

file³ Definition

file (fīl)

transitive verb filed, fil′·ing

Archaic to make foul; defile

Etymology: ME filen < OE -fylan < ful, dirty, foul

file Synonyms

file

n.

  1. A receptacle for keeping papers in order

    folder, filing cabinet, letter file, card file, letter case, pigeonhole, repository, organizer, drawer; see also folder 2.

  2. An orderly collection of papers

    card index, card file, portfolio, record, data, classified index, list, ready reference list, register, dossier, notebook, docket, census; see also catalog.

  3. Steel abrasive

    rasp, steel, sharpener, emery board.

    Types of files include: flat, round, rat-tail, triangular, saw, fingernail, wood, 10-inch, 12-inch, etc.

  4. A line

    rank, row, column; see line 1.

on file

filed, cataloged, registered; see recorded.

file Synonyms

file

v.

  1. To arrange in order

    classify, index, deposit, categorize, catalog, record, register, list, arrange, interfile, pigeonhole, docket; see also classify.

  2. To use an abrasive

    abrade, rasp, scrape, smooth, rub down, level off, finish, sharpen, hone, grind.

file Law Definition

n

  1. A court’s or a lawyer’s record of a case.
  2. v. The act of submitting a document, generally to a court. 

file Telecom Definition

  1. Program file. An electronic file containing commands and instructions for execution by a computer. See also program file.
  2. Data file. An electronic file containing the work created with a program. See also data file and data set.

file Usage Examples

Object

lawsuit: AMD filed a lawsuit against Intel in the US courts accusing the chipmaker of anticompetitive practices.

Converse of object

  • save: You may prefer to save the file to disk for later viewing.
  • delete: Here is an efficient way to delete all files older than a week: find.
  • download: Download Resource Adobe Acrobat reader is required to download some files.

Subject

sjhoward: Filed by sjhoward at 12:08 on Friday, 2nd April 2004 under Media.

Adjective modifier

  • audio: I moved the audio files for Pod of Funk to another server three weeks ago.
  • executable: The download arrives in the form of a self-extracting executable file, and the installation process is almost completely automated.
  • mp3: Grace to You Podcast Info Page Podcasting A podcast is a method of automatically receiving an mp3 audio file via an RSS feed.
  • downloadable: All downloadable files are in Acrobat Reader.pdf format.

Modifies a noun

format: The report is provided in the PDF file format.

Noun used with modifier

  • PDF: Unable to view our PDF files within your web browser window?
  • pdf: The disk contains Acrobat Reader software for accessing the pdf files.
  • configuration: I made certain that all the configuration files were properly tweaked for his particular computer.
  • log: It can read a range of temperature log file formats.
  • output: The results of the discrimination are written into two output files, one for each class.
  • input: An example input file with three data sets is shown below.

Preposition: in

directory: Once downloaded, you should ' unzip ' the files in a directory on your machine.

Preposition: under

shhexycorin: This entry was posted on Sunday, April 16th, 2006 at 5:51 pm and is filed under shhexycorin 's blog.

Preposition: for

bankruptcy: At the time concern was raised that VISCorp was about to file for bankruptcy itself.

Preposition: by

sjhoward: Filed by sjhoward at 12:08 on Friday, 2nd April 2004 under Media.

Browse dictionary entries near file

  1. ‹ filch
  2. ‹ filbert
  3. ‹ filature
  4. ‹ filariasis
  5. ‹ filaria
  6. ‹ filaree
  7. ‹ filar
  8. ‹ filament
  9. ‹ fila
  10. ‹ filé
  1. File and Print Sharing ›
  2. file clerk ›
  3. File Transfer Protocol ›
  4. filefish ›
  5. filet ›
  6. filet mignon ›
  7. filial ›
  8. filiation ›
  9. filibeg ›
  10. filibuster ›