I. ˈfī(-ə)l noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English fēol; akin to Old High German fīla file
Date: before 12th century
1. : a tool usually of hardened steel with cutting ridges for forming or smoothing surfaces especially of metal
2. : a shrewd or crafty person
II. transitive verb
( filed ; fil·ing )
Date: 13th century
: to rub, smooth, or cut away with or as if with a file
III. transitive verb
( filed ; fil·ing )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English fȳlan, from fūl foul
Date: before 12th century
chiefly dialect : defile , corrupt
IV. verb
( filed ; fil·ing )
Etymology: 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
Date: 15th century
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
V. noun
Date: 1525
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
VI. noun
Etymology: Middle French, from filer to spin, draw out, from Late Latin filare, from Latin filum
Date: 1598
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
VII. intransitive verb
( filed ; filing )
Date: 1614
: to march or proceed in single file