From Old French fil (“thread”), from Latin fīlum (“thread”). Doublet of filum.
Meanings
A collection of papers collated and archived together.
It is upon a file with the duke's other letters. c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
We'd like to help you learn to help yourself 1968 April 5, Paul Simon, “Mrs. Robinson”, in Bookends, performed by Simon & Garfunkel:
A roll or list.
a file of all the gentry c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
A course of thought; a thread of narration.
Let me resume the file of my narration. 1642, Henry Wotton, A Short View of the Life and Death of George Villiers:
An aggregation of data on a storage device, identified by a name.
I'm going to delete these unwanted files to free up some disk space.
He had created a file for coding to design a new product.
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.
(Canada, US, abbreviation, alt-of, clipping) Clipping of file cabinet.
The Nonfiction Vertical File: […]I spent my university years working in the library at the Maritime School of Social Work. One of my responsibilities was to keep the library's vertical file up to date. The vertical file was a cabinet full of current newspaper and magazine clippings on topics of interest to the students and faculty of the school. 2010, Beth Critchley Charlton, Englaging the DisEngaged, page 71:
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file descriptor (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file carving (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file card (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · on file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · card-file system (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file handle (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · card-file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filesystem (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · shapefile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file meristem (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filelike (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · scorefile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file sharing (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · tax file number (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · metafile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · mindfile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · device file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file videotape (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · tarfile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file association (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filemark (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · case file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · swipe file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · sigfile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file section (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file server (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filename (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filegroup (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · p-file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file photo (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · library file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file shredder (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · backfile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · logfile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file manager (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filestore (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · savefile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file video (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file allocation table (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · personnel file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file photograph (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · Filegate (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file footage (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file extension (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · mailfile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filemask (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · register file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · PDF file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · helpfile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file folder (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filehandle (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file-drawer problem (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file format (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filesharer (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file size (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · fileworthy (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file cabinet (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file system (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · run someone's file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · fileset (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filetype (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file jacket (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · paging file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file name (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · multifile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file pointer (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file picker (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · molfile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · page file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filespace (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · manifest file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · card file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · per-file (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file film (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · fileless (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file clerk (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · fileserver (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · file type (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · filepath (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · notefile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1)) · subfile (Derived terms of file (etymology 1))
tg парванда (computing: aggregation of data) · tg кор (collection of papers) · ca arxiu (collection of papers) · sh фа̑јл (computing: aggregation of data) · id fail (computing: aggregation of data) · fr fichier (computing: aggregation of data) · ga comhad (computing: aggregation of data) · pl plik (computing: aggregation of data) · uz ish (collection of papers) · am ፋይል (computing: aggregation of data) · de Datei (collection of papers) · sh фасцѝкл (collection of papers) · nl ordner (collection of papers) · vi tập tin (collection of papers) · be дасье́ (collection of papers) · el αρχείο (collection of papers) · tg парванда (collection of papers) · it archivio (collection of papers) · pl kartoteka (collection of papers) · bg файл (computing: aggregation of data) · mt arkivju (collection of papers) · mn файл (computing: aggregation of data) · tg файл (computing: aggregation of data) · acw ملف (collection of papers) · tl talaksan (computing: aggregation of data) · ja ファイル (computing: aggregation of data) · fr dossier (collection of papers) · th ไฟล์ (computing: aggregation of data) · cs soubor (computing: aggregation of data) · uz dosye (collection of papers) · ca fitxer (collection of papers) · is tölvuskrá (computing: aggregation of data) · ro fișier (computing: aggregation of data) · ka ფაილი (computing: aggregation of data) · mk досие́ (collection of papers) · th แฟ้ม (collection of papers) · sl dosje (collection of papers) · sq skedë (computing: aggregation of data) · nn fil (computing: aggregation of data) · tr dosya (collection of papers) · pl katalog (collection of papers) · pl plik (collection of papers) · mh baeļ (computing: aggregation of data) · de Dossier (collection of papers) · sk šanón (collection of papers) · sl datoteka (computing: aggregation of data) · pam simpan (computing: aggregation of data) · hy թղթապանակ (collection of papers) · sh datotéka (computing: aggregation of data) · io savaro (computing: aggregation of data) · it file (computing: aggregation of data) · pt ficheiro (computing: aggregation of data) · cmn 檔案 /档案 (collection of papers) · az fayl (computing: aggregation of data) · ar مِلَفّ (computing: aggregation of data) · uk па́пка (collection of papers) · ru пачка (collection of papers) · tr dosya (computing: aggregation of data) · uk файл (computing: aggregation of data) · tk faýl (computing: aggregation of data) · afb ملف (collection of papers) · la fasciculus (computing: aggregation of data) · mnc ᡩᠠᠩᠰᡝ (collection of papers) · fy triem (computing: aggregation of data) · yue 文件 (computing: aggregation of data) · af lêer (collection of papers) · uk спра́ва (collection of papers) · lt failas (computing: aggregation of data) · ja ファイル (collection of papers) · id berkas (collection of papers) · cs pořadač (collection of papers) · sh fȃjl (computing: aggregation of data) · sk archív (collection of papers) · lv datne (computing: aggregation of data) · es cartapacio (collection of papers) · nl file (computing: aggregation of data) · ka ქლიბი (collection of papers) · ga comhad (collection of papers) · cmn 文件 (computing: aggregation of data) · st faele (collection of papers) · sh dosje (collection of papers) · da arkivalie (collection of papers) · ko 파일 (collection of papers) · mk фајл (computing: aggregation of data) · lv fails (computing: aggregation of data) · vi tập tin (computing: aggregation of data) · fi tiedosto (computing: aggregation of data) · lv lieta (collection of papers) · is skrá (computing: aggregation of data) · km ឯកសារ (computing: aggregation of data) · et toimik (collection of papers) · lb Fichier (computing: aggregation of data) · mh baeļ (collection of papers) · ky иш (collection of papers) · sk spis (collection of papers) · nl dossier (collection of papers) · he קוֹבֶץ (computing: aggregation of data) · ko 서류철 (collection of papers) · ko 파일 (computing: aggregation of data) · sl fascikel (collection of papers) · et fail (computing: aggregation of data) · bg досие́ (collection of papers) · fa-ira پَرْوَنْدِه (collection of papers) · ar مِلَفّ (collection of papers) · sh датоте́ка (computing: aggregation of data) · lt byla (collection of papers) · st faele (computing: aggregation of data) · ky көктөмө (collection of papers) · nb arkiv (collection of papers) · be па́пка (collection of papers) · lo ແຟ້ມ (collection of papers) · afb مَلَف (computing: aggregation of data) · nb fil (computing: aggregation of data) · ti ፋይል (computing: aggregation of data) · vi tệp (computing: aggregation of data) · yue 檔案 /档案 (computing: aggregation of data) · mi kōnae (computing: aggregation of data) · ru па́пка (collection of papers) · mk картоте́ка (collection of papers) · et säilik (computing: aggregation of data) · da fil (computing: aggregation of data) · sh datotéka (collection of papers) · de Kartei (collection of papers) · hu fájl (computing: aggregation of data) · cs složka (collection of papers) · es fichero (computing: aggregation of data) · ug ھۆججەت (computing: aggregation of data) · ru де́ло (collection of papers) · sco fyle (computing: aggregation of data) · af lêer (computing: aggregation of data) · fy bestân (computing: aggregation of data) · cmn 檔案 /档案 (computing: aggregation of data) · my ဖိုင် (computing: aggregation of data) · lad dosya (computing: aggregation of data) · bg па́пка (collection of papers) · cs archiv (collection of papers) · hu adatállomány (computing: aggregation of data) · de Hefter (collection of papers) · ru досье́ (collection of papers) · el αρχείο (computing: aggregation of data) · tt файл (computing: aggregation of data) · io dokumentaro (collection of papers) · uz fayl (computing: aggregation of data) · sv fil (computing: aggregation of data) · gd faidhle (computing: aggregation of data) · nl bestand (computing: aggregation of data) · sh досје (collection of papers) · kk файл (computing: aggregation of data) · yi טעקע (computing: aggregation of data) · cy ffeil (computing: aggregation of data) · ps دوسيه (collection of papers) · hi फ़ाइल (computing: aggregation of data) · sl fajl (computing: aggregation of data) · kk іс (collection of papers) · ro fișier (collection of papers) · mt fajl (collection of papers) · nn arkiv (collection of papers) · io dosiero (collection of papers) · de File (computing: aggregation of data) · mt fajl (computing: aggregation of data) · hy նիշք (computing: aggregation of data) · fi kansio (collection of papers) · oc fichièr (computing: aggregation of data) · fr fichier (collection of papers) · ro dosar (collection of papers) · gag fayl (computing: aggregation of data) · eo dosiero (collection of papers) · sl mapa (collection of papers) · ur فائِل (computing: aggregation of data) · de Datei (computing: aggregation of data) · ca fitxer (computing: aggregation of data) · es archivo (computing: aggregation of data) · sv arkiv (collection of papers) · lo ໄຟລ໌ (computing: aggregation of data) · lo ແຟ້ມ (computing: aggregation of data) · ca arxiu (computing: aggregation of data) · ug ئارخىپ (collection of papers) · yue 檔案 /档案 (collection of papers) · pt arquivo (collection of papers) · vi tệp tin (computing: aggregation of data) · ru связка (collection of papers) · ml പ്രമാണം (collection of papers) · ky файл (computing: aggregation of data) · ug ھۆججەت (collection of papers) · eo dosiero (computing: aggregation of data) · kmr dosye (collection of papers) · sh датоте́ка (collection of papers) · nl keukenblok (kitchen units and countertop) · bn ফাইল (computing: aggregation of data) · cs šanon (collection of papers) · de Akte (collection of papers) · de Küchenzeile (kitchen units and countertop) · be спра́ва (collection of papers) · it cartella (collection of papers) · id berkas (computing: aggregation of data) · my ဖိုင် (collection of papers) · uk досьє́ (collection of papers) · pt arquivo (computing: aggregation of data) · fa-ira پَرْوَنْدِه (computing: aggregation of data) · mk датоте́ка (computing: aggregation of data) · de Ordner (collection of papers) · acw دوسيه (collection of papers) · pt ficheiro (collection of papers) · sk súbor (computing: aggregation of data) · hy ֆայլ (computing: aggregation of data) · io failo (computing: aggregation of data) · sh fascìkl (collection of papers) · ja 綴じ込み (collection of papers) · be файл (computing: aggregation of data) · fa-ira فایْل (computing: aggregation of data) · fa-ira دوسِیِه (collection of papers) · ru файл (computing: aggregation of data) · hu akta (collection of papers) · mk податоте́ка (computing: aggregation of data) · ms fail (computing: aggregation of data)
From Old French fil (“thread”), from Latin fīlum (“thread”). Doublet of filum.
Meanings
(transitive) To commit (official papers) to some office.
While the girls’ mothers were preparing to file missing-person reports, they received a call that their daughters were fine. 2026 July 27, Nicholas Muhoro, “The Disappearance of Kayla Berg and the Condemned House Where Her Trail Ended”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 28 Jul 2026:
She filed their accounts yesterday.
The episode’s unwillingness to fully commit to the pathos of the Bart-and-Laura subplot is all the more frustrating considering its laugh quota is more than filled by a rollicking B-story that finds Homer, he of the iron stomach and insatiable appetite, filing a lawsuit against The Frying Dutchman when he’s hauled out of the eatery against his will after consuming all of the restaurant’s shrimp (plus two plastic lobsters). 2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:
(intransitive, transitive, with for) To commit (official papers) to some office. ▸ To submit a formal request to some office.
What started as a way to cover my expenses became something I could turn into a full-time job. Within a year, I filed an LLC and made it official. 2026 April 22, Jillian Sanders, “The Danger of Surrendering Your Financial Independence in a Relationship”, in TIME, archived from the original on 22 Apr 2026:
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.
(transitive) (of a journalist) To submit (an article) to a newspaper or similar publication.
I filed my copy soon after the interview.
(transitive) To place in an archive in a logical place and order.
Troves of documents filed away in the depository.
(transitive) To store a file (aggregation of data) on a storage medium such as a disc or another computer.
(obsolete, transitive) To set in order; to arrange, or lay away.
I would have my several courses and my dishes well filed. 1606, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Woman-Hater”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii:
es encarpetar (to archive) · pam lulan (to store computer data) · nl archiveren (to archive) · es tramitar (transitive: to commit papers) · tr talep etmek (to make a formal request) · da arkivere (to archive) · de beantragen (to make a formal request) · it archiviare (to archive) · el αρχειοθετώ (to store computer data) · fi jättää (transitive: to commit papers) · mt tiffajlja (transitive: to commit papers) · pl wnieść (transitive: to commit papers) · tr başvurmak (to make a formal request) · fi arkistoida (to archive) · es diligenciar (transitive: to commit papers) · ru архиви́ровать (to archive) · bg подавам (transitive: to commit papers) · mh baeļ (to store computer data) · pl wnosić (transitive: to commit papers) · bg регистри́рам (to archive) · ja 保存する (to store computer data) · no arkivere (transitive: to commit papers) · bg запомням (to store computer data) · de einreichen (to make a formal request) · cs uložit (to store computer data) · el αρχειοθετώ (to archive) · tr müracaat etmek (transitive: to commit papers) · et arhiivima (to archive) · fi tallentaa (to store computer data) · pt salvar (to store computer data) · de einsortieren (to archive) · es gestionar (transitive: to commit papers) · et salvestama (to store computer data) · de beanspruchen (to make a formal request) · mh baeļ (to archive) · cs požádat (to make a formal request) · ru запи́сывать (to store computer data) · tr başvuru yapmak (transitive: to commit papers) · tr saklamak (to store computer data) · pt arquivar (to archive) · pt registrar (to make a formal request) · ja 提起する (transitive: to commit papers) · es cursar (to make a formal request) · it presentare (to make a formal request) · sv arkivera (to archive) · pt guardar (to store computer data) · de einreichen (transitive: to commit papers) · el καταθέτω (transitive: to commit papers) · ru подава́ть заявле́ние (to make a formal request) · fi nostaa (transitive: to commit papers) · cs podat (transitive: to commit papers) · da fremme (to make a formal request) · cs založit (to archive) · tr müracaat etmek (to make a formal request) · de eingeben (transitive: to commit papers) · ja 申請する (transitive: to commit papers) · no arkivere (to archive) · de archivieren (to archive) · mh baeļ (transitive: to commit papers) · nl opslaan (to store computer data) · cs archivovat (to archive) · da arkivere (transitive: to commit papers) · de abheften (to archive) · mk поднесува (transitive: to commit papers) · es gestionar (to make a formal request) · fi hakea (to make a formal request) · pt arquivar (transitive: to commit papers) · no inngi (to make a formal request) · et esitama (transitive: to commit papers) · ru регистри́ровать (to archive) · it depositare (to make a formal request) · ru подава́ть жа́лобу (transitive: to commit papers) · de abspeichern (to store computer data) · it intentare (to make a formal request) · no lagre (to store computer data) · da lagre (to store computer data) · mk регистри́ра (to archive) · nb fremme (to make a formal request) · es tramitar (to make a formal request) · es diligenciar (to make a formal request) · ru сдава́ть в архи́в (to archive) · es deparar (transitive: to commit papers) · fi jättää hakemus (to make a formal request) · tr arşivlemek (to archive) · ru подава́ть заявле́ние (transitive: to commit papers) · mt jiffajlja (transitive: to commit papers) · it archiviare (transitive: to commit papers) · ru запомина́ть (to store computer data) · de Antrag stellen (transitive: to commit papers) · bg картотеки́рам (to archive) · es entablar (to make a formal request) · mk архиви́ра (to archive) · es guardar (to store computer data) · ru сохраня́ть (to store computer data) · ru подава́ть докуме́нты (transitive: to commit papers) · ru подшива́ть к де́лу (to archive) · de speichern (to store computer data) · ja 保管する (to archive)
lt vertikalė (chess: vertical line of squares) · bg коло́на (column of people) · mi kaha (small detachment of soldiers) · es fila (column of people) · ru коло́нна (column of people) · lv rinda (column of people) · fi linja (chess: vertical line of squares) · fr colonne (chess: vertical line of squares) · el συστοιχία (column of people) · it colonna (chess: vertical line of squares) · ja 列 (column of people) · sk stĺp (chess: vertical line of squares) · ja 列 (chess: vertical line of squares) · nl lijn (chess: vertical line of squares) · ru верени́ца (column of people) · da kø (column of people) · da linje (chess: vertical line of squares) · th แถว (column of people) · mi kaha (column of people) · sv kö (column of people) · ko 렬 (column of people) · eo vico (column of people) · bg вертика́ла (chess: vertical line of squares) · cs sloupec (chess: vertical line of squares) · mk низа (column of people) · ca columna (chess: vertical line of squares) · mk коло́на (column of people) · fi jono (column of people) · sv linje (chess: vertical line of squares) · grc στοῖχος (column of people) · ko 열 (column of people) · sl linija (chess: vertical line of squares) · pt fila (column of people) · mi kaha tauā (small detachment of soldiers) · vi cột (chess: vertical line of squares) · sh linija (chess: vertical line of squares) · de Reihe (column of people) · lv ierinda (column of people) · cmn 列 (column of people) · nl kolonne (column of people) · nl rij (column of people) · et liin (chess: vertical line of squares) · mt ringiela (column of people) · sv fil (column of people) · cs zástup (column of people) · ru строй (column of people) · pt coluna (chess: vertical line of squares) · de Linie (chess: vertical line of squares) · el σειρά (column of people) · nl file (column of people) · ru шере́нга (column of people) · ko 줄 (column of people) · hu vonal (chess: vertical line of squares) · nb linje (chess: vertical line of squares) · el στήλη (chess: vertical line of squares) · et kolonn (column of people) · ru вертика́ль (chess: vertical line of squares) · pt linha (chess: vertical line of squares) · mk строј (column of people) · it fila (column of people) · fr file (column of people) · pl kolumna (chess: vertical line of squares) · ro coloană (chess: vertical line of squares) · sl kolona (column of people) · lv vertikāle (chess: vertical line of squares) · sh линија (chess: vertical line of squares) · es columna (chess: vertical line of squares)
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”).
Meanings
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.
(archaic, slang) A cunning or resourceful person.
Will is an old file, in spite of his smooth face. 1857–1859, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, The Virginians. A Tale of the Last Century, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1858–1859, →OCLC:
The greatest character among them was that of a Pickpocket, or, in truer language, a File. 1743, Henry Fielding, The Life and Death of Jonathan Wild, the Great:
(obsolete, slang) A pickpocket.
The greatest character among them was that of a pickpocket, or, in their language, a file. 1743, Henry Fielding, The Life and Death of Jonathan Wild, the Great:
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Deriveds
pippin file (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · rat-tail file (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · filesmith (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · filemaker (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · file snake (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · round file (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · filemaking (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · filefish (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · saw file (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · filelike (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · cross file (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · filetail (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · nail file (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · bastard file (terms derived from file (tool) (noun)) · file shell (terms derived from file (tool) (noun))
pt lima (cutting or smoothing tool) · it lima (cutting or smoothing tool) · lv vīle (cutting or smoothing tool) · th ตะไบ (cutting or smoothing tool) · mi whaiuru (cutting or smoothing tool) · tg сӯҳон (cutting or smoothing tool) · arz مبرد (cutting or smoothing tool) · az əyə (cutting or smoothing tool) · tk ige (cutting or smoothing tool) · is þjöl (cutting or smoothing tool) · kk түрпі (cutting or smoothing tool) · ota تورپو (cutting or smoothing tool) · tr eğe (cutting or smoothing tool) · uk пи́лка (cutting or smoothing tool) · mk еге (cutting or smoothing tool) · sl pila (cutting or smoothing tool) · ary مبرد (cutting or smoothing tool) · ro pilă (cutting or smoothing tool) · cy rhathell (cutting or smoothing tool) · grc ῥίνη (cutting or smoothing tool) · pt lixa (cutting or smoothing tool) · te ఆకురాయి (cutting or smoothing tool) · es mediacaña (cutting or smoothing tool) · gd eighe (cutting or smoothing tool) · es lima (cutting or smoothing tool) · nb fil (cutting or smoothing tool) · sh tùrpija (cutting or smoothing tool) · ml അരം (cutting or smoothing tool) · slr ege (cutting or smoothing tool) · yi פֿײַל (cutting or smoothing tool) · my တံစဉ်း (cutting or smoothing tool) · fa-ira سوهان (cutting or smoothing tool) · izh napilka (cutting or smoothing tool) · az yeyə (cutting or smoothing tool) · tl kikil (cutting or smoothing tool) · dsb filnik (cutting or smoothing tool) · ka ქლიბი (cutting or smoothing tool) · az suvand (cutting or smoothing tool) · kk қылауық (cutting or smoothing tool) · mk пила (cutting or smoothing tool) · ru напи́льник (cutting or smoothing tool) · uk напи́лок (cutting or smoothing tool) · da fil (cutting or smoothing tool) · tr törpü (cutting or smoothing tool) · hy խարտոց (cutting or smoothing tool) · lt dildė (cutting or smoothing tool) · eo fajlilo (cutting or smoothing tool) · sq limë (cutting or smoothing tool) · hi रेती (cutting or smoothing tool) · lt brūžiklis (cutting or smoothing tool) · sv fil (cutting or smoothing tool) · bn রেতি (cutting or smoothing tool) · hu reszelő (cutting or smoothing tool) · goh fīla (cutting or smoothing tool) · ky өгөө (cutting or smoothing tool) · kk егеу (cutting or smoothing tool) · de Feile (cutting or smoothing tool) · ru пи́лка (cutting or smoothing tool) · ru на́дфиль (cutting or smoothing tool) · be напі́льнік (cutting or smoothing tool) · es limatón (cutting or smoothing tool) · sk pilník (cutting or smoothing tool) · vec łima (cutting or smoothing tool) · ota اگه (cutting or smoothing tool) · ru пи́лочка (cutting or smoothing tool) · ur ریتی (cutting or smoothing tool) · la līma (cutting or smoothing tool) · az törpü (cutting or smoothing tool) · cs pilník (cutting or smoothing tool) · ba игәү (cutting or smoothing tool) · eu lima (cutting or smoothing tool) · mn хуурай (cutting or smoothing tool) · ja 鑢 (cutting or smoothing tool) · mt lima (cutting or smoothing tool) · el λίμα (cutting or smoothing tool) · ota سوهان (cutting or smoothing tool) · he שׁוֹפִין (cutting or smoothing tool) · he פְּצִירָה (cutting or smoothing tool) · nl vijl (cutting or smoothing tool) · fi viila (cutting or smoothing tool) · vi giũa (cutting or smoothing tool) · ota مبرد (cutting or smoothing tool) · fr lime (cutting or smoothing tool) · bg пила́ (cutting or smoothing tool) · cmn 銼 /锉 (cutting or smoothing tool) · uz egov (cutting or smoothing tool) · it limetta (cutting or smoothing tool) · et viil (cutting or smoothing tool) · sh ту̀рпија (cutting or smoothing tool) · lo ຕະໄບ (cutting or smoothing tool) · ms kikir (cutting or smoothing tool) · ca llima (cutting or smoothing tool) · dta xaur (cutting or smoothing tool) · rue пильник (cutting or smoothing tool) · pl pilnik (cutting or smoothing tool) · km អង្រូស (cutting or smoothing tool) · ko 줄 (cutting or smoothing tool) · ota راسپه (cutting or smoothing tool) · ar مِبْرَد (cutting or smoothing tool) · cmn 銼刀 /锉刀 (cutting or smoothing tool) · mk турпија (cutting or smoothing tool)
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”).
Meanings
(transitive) To smooth, grind, or cut with a file.
I'd better file the bottoms of the table legs. Otherwise they will scratch the flooring.
Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill. 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
ru шлифова́ть (smooth with a file) · mt tillima (smooth with a file) · pl opiłować (smooth with a file) · el ρινίζω (smooth with a file) · nl vijlen (smooth with a file) · ja やすり掛け (smooth with a file) · de feilen (smooth with a file) · mt jillima (smooth with a file) · bg пиля (smooth with a file) · ko 쓸다 (smooth with a file) · pt lixar (smooth with a file) · fr limer (smooth with a file) · eo fajli (smooth with a file) · el λιμάρω (smooth with a file) · vi giũa (smooth with a file) · hu megreszel (smooth with a file) · tr törpülemek (smooth with a file) · ru подпи́ливать (smooth with a file) · ml രാകുക (smooth with a file) · gd lìomh (smooth with a file) · da file (smooth with a file) · is sverfa (smooth with a file) · sv fila (smooth with a file) · mi tīwaniwani (smooth with a file) · hu reszel (smooth with a file) · lv vīlēt (smooth with a file) · sl piliti (smooth with a file) · cs pilovat (smooth with a file) · es limar (smooth with a file) · mi tīwani (smooth with a file) · pt limar (smooth with a file) · ota تورپولمك (smooth with a file) · et viilima (smooth with a file) · it limare (smooth with a file) · hu lereszel (smooth with a file) · pl opiłowywać (smooth with a file) · mi whaiuru (smooth with a file) · yi פֿײַלן (smooth with a file) · fi viilata (smooth with a file) · la līmō (smooth with a file) · mk струга (smooth with a file)
From Middle English filen (“to defile”), from Old English fȳlan (“to defile, make foul”), from Proto-West Germanic *fūlijan (“to make foul”). More at defile.
Meanings
(archaic) To defile.
for Banquo's issue have I fil'd my mind c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
I cannot thinke […] So true a bird would file ſo faire a neſt, […] 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act I: