Etymology From Old French fil (“thread”), from Latin fīlum (“thread”). Doublet of filum.
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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 yourself1968 April 5, Paul Simon, “Mrs. Robinson”, in Bookends, performed by Simon & Garfunkel:
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A roll or list.
a file of all the gentryc. 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]:
3
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:
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Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences An aggregation of data on a storage device, identified by a name.
He had created a file for coding to design a new product.
I'm going to delete these unwanted files to free up some disk space.
5
A row of modular kitchen units and a countertop, consisting of cabinets and appliances below (dishwasher) and next to (stove/cooker) a countertop.
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:
Etymology From Old French fil (“thread”), from Latin fīlum (“thread”). Doublet of filum.
1
To commit (official papers) to some office.
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:
2
(of a journalist) To submit (an article) to a newspaper or similar publication.
I filed my copy soon after the interview.
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To place in an archive in a logical place and order.
Troves of documents filed away in the depository.
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To store a file (aggregation of data) on a storage medium such as a disc or another computer.
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LawWith for To submit a formal request to some office.
She filed for divorce the next day.
The company filed for bankruptcy when the office opened on Monday.
2 more examples
They filed for a refund under their warranty.
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:
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Obsolete 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:
Etymology 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”).
1
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.
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:
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:
Etymology 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”).
1
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:
Etymology 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.
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:
for Banquo's issue have I fil'd my mindc. 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]: