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
First Known Use: before 12th century

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

Rhymes with FILE

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

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

6file

noun

Definition of FILE

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· \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· 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 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
ADVERTISEMENT
How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.
Test your vocab with our fun, fast game
Ailurophobia, and 9 other unusual fears