file
file — noun
1. a folder, box, or cabinet that holds papers, letters, and documents so they stay
a folder, box, or cabinet that holds papers, letters, and documents so they stay tidy and can be found easily, common in offices and homes
Gabriel pulled a red file from the shelf and took out the contract.
collocation: pull/take a file from [place]
The office assistant put the invoices into a blue cardboard file.
collocation: put into a file
Each employee has a personal file stored in the locked cabinet.
The doctor's file for patient records sits on the desk near the window.
- open a file
- close a file
- pull a file
- file cabinet
- file folder
Common Mistakes
2. information and documents that are collected and stored as a record, often relat
information and documents that are collected and stored as a record, often relating to one specific person, topic, or event, whether on paper or in digital form
The police keep a file on all known suspects in the area.
collocation: keep a file on [someone/something]
Mert asked to see his medical file before the appointment.
The journalist checked the company's public file for past court cases.
collocation: public file
Our school keeps a file of every student's grades and attendance.
The insurance company said the information was already on file.
idiomatic phrase: on file
- on file
- keep a file on
- personnel file
- medical file
- customer file
Usage Note
Frequently used in the phrase 'on file' meaning 'stored as part of the official records'. The uncountable form appears in the phrase 'on file' and in general references.
3. a piece of digital content, such as a document, picture, or program, that a comp
a piece of digital content, such as a document, picture, or program, that a computer stores under a single name and reads as one unit
Kasia double-clicked the file to open the spreadsheet.
collocation: open a file / click a file
Make sure you save the file before you close the program.
collocation: save a file
Daniel renamed the image file to something easier to find.
The attachment was a PDF file that took a while to download.
Eve deleted the old spreadsheet file to free up space on her laptop.
collocation: delete a file
- save a file
- open a file
- delete a file
- download a file
- PDF file
- image file
Usage Note
File names typically include a period and an extension (e.g., .docx, .jpg, .pdf) that tells the computer what kind of data it is.
Common Mistakes
4. a straight formation where each person, vehicle, or animal follows directly behi
a straight formation where each person, vehicle, or animal follows directly behind the next, also called single file
The children walked in a file behind their teacher through the museum.
collocation: in a file; walk in file
Visitors formed a single file at the entrance to the temple.
common phrase: single file
The soldiers marched in file across the training ground.
Cars moved in single file along the narrow mountain road.
- single file
- in file
- walk in single file
- form a file
Usage Note
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'single file' or 'in file'. Rarely used as a standalone countable noun in everyday speech.
5. a hand tool made from a metal bar whose rough face rubs against wood, metal, or
a hand tool made from a metal bar whose rough face rubs against wood, metal, or fingernails to give a smooth finish or alter their shape
Lakan used a metal file to smooth the rough edge of the pipe.
collocation: metal file
Mei-Lin picked up a nail file from the drawer and tidied her nails.
collocation: nail file
The carpenter ran a flat file along the wooden surface to remove splinters.
A round file works best for shaping curved holes in metal.
- nail file
- metal file
- flat file
- round file
- file down
- rasp
a very coarse type of file used on wood; more specialised
- emery board
a thin cardboard strip coated with abrasive, used for nails
Usage Note
Different files have different coarseness levels — a 'rough file' removes material quickly, while a 'fine file' is used for final smoothing. A 'nail file' is a small file specifically for fingernails.
(in) single file
idiomMoving in a line with each person directly behind the one in front.
The children walked in single file through the narrow hallway.
Did the hikers form a single file on the mountain trail?
file — verb
1. to sort and store papers, documents, or information in a particular place and or
to sort and store papers, documents, or information in a particular place and order so that they can be found later
Camila spent the morning filing the customer orders alphabetically.
collocation: file alphabetically
Please file these receipts under the tax folder for this year.
pattern: file [something] under [category]
The secretary filed away all the signed contracts before lunch.
phrasal verb: file away
Zola files her notes by date so she can always find the right one quickly.
Old medical records are filed in the basement archive once a year.
passive: be filed in [place]
- file alphabetically
- file away
- file under
- file in order
- scatter
to spread things without order
Grammar Patterns
file + object
file + object + away
Usage Note
Often used with 'away' to emphasise that the items are being stored for future reference. The passive form ('be filed') is common in office contexts.
Common Mistakes
2. to send official documents, especially tax returns or legal papers, to a governm
to send official documents, especially tax returns or legal papers, to a government office or authority as required by law or regulation
Devika filed her tax return online before the April deadline.
collocation: file a tax return
The company must file annual reports with the government by March.
Mert filed an insurance claim after the storm damaged his roof.
collocation: file a claim
You need to file the documents at the city hall reception desk.
pattern: file [documents] at [place]
Eri helped her parents file their visa application forms online.
- file a tax return
- file a claim
- file a report
- file an application
- file documents with
Grammar Patterns
file + document/return/claim
Usage Note
This sense is particularly common in tax and administrative contexts. In the US, 'file' alone often implies filing income taxes ('Have you filed yet?').
Common Mistakes
3. to officially start a legal process by submitting the necessary documents to a c
to officially start a legal process by submitting the necessary documents to a court of law
The neighbours filed a complaint against the factory for making too much noise at night.
pattern: file a complaint against [someone]
After months of unpaid rent, the landlord filed a lawsuit to evict the tenant.
collocation: file a lawsuit
The couple decided to file for divorce after years of disagreement.
pattern: file for [divorce/bankruptcy]
The company filed for bankruptcy when it could no longer pay its debts.
collocation: file for bankruptcy
- file a lawsuit
- file a complaint
- file for divorce
- file for bankruptcy
- file against
Grammar Patterns
file + lawsuit/complaint
file + for + noun
file + against + person
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2: sense 2 is about submitting documents to an administrative body (tax, visa), while sense 3 is specifically about initiating a legal action in court. Common objects: lawsuit, complaint, petition, motion, appeal.
4. to send a news report, story, or column back to the office from a remote locatio
to send a news report, story, or column back to the office from a remote location, especially by telephone, email, or satellite connection
The war correspondent filed a live report from the capital city this morning.
collocation: file a report
Élise filed her story about the election just minutes before the newspaper's deadline.
collocation: file a story
Reporters are expected to file their articles by five o'clock each evening.
Lukas filed a short piece from the sports stadium after the final match.
pattern: file from [location]
- file a report
- file a story
- file from [location]
- deadline to file
Grammar Patterns
file + story/report + from + place
file + story/report + to + person
Usage Note
Almost exclusively used in journalism and news media. The object is typically a 'story', 'report', 'article', or 'column'.
5. to walk or move one person behind another in a line, often used with a direction
to walk or move one person behind another in a line, often used with a direction word such as in, out, or past
The students filed into the classroom quietly and took their seats.
pattern: file into [place]
Guests filed past the birthday cake to admire the decorations.
pattern: file past [something]
The audience filed out of the theatre after the final curtain fell.
pattern: file out of [place]
One by one, the jury filed back into the courtroom to deliver their verdict.
- file in
- file out
- file past
- file into
- file through
- scatter
to move apart in different directions
Grammar Patterns
file + in/out/past/through
Usage Note
Always used with a directional adverb or preposition (in, out, past, into, through, out of). The verb itself describes the manner of movement, while the preposition gives the direction.
Common Mistakes
6. to rub a rough area with a file tool so that the surface becomes smooth, flat, o
to rub a rough area with a file tool so that the surface becomes smooth, flat, or differently shaped
Gabriel filed down the sharp edges of the metal bracket so no one would get cut.
phrasal verb: file down
Camila filed her nails into a neat oval shape before painting them.
The woodworker filed away the splinters on the handle until it felt smooth.
phrasal verb: file away
After cutting the pipe, you should file the end until it is completely flat.
The jeweller carefully filed the gold ring to adjust its size.
- file down
- file away
- file smooth
- file flat
- file nails
- roughen
to make a surface rough
Grammar Patterns
file + object + smooth/flat
file + object + down/away
Usage Note
Often used with a particle ('file down', 'file away') to indicate the material being removed. The object can be either the tool's target (file nails) or the unwanted material (file away rough edges).
Common Mistakes
file away
phrasal verbto put documents or information in their correct place for storage and future reference
Eve filed away the meeting notes so they could be checked later.
file for
phrasal verbto apply officially for something through a legal or administrative process, especially divorce or bankruptcy
After the business failed, the owner had to file for bankruptcy.
file in/out/past
phrasal verbto enter, leave, or walk past a place one after another in a line
The wedding guests filed into the church and waited for the ceremony to begin.
file down
phrasal verbto rub a rough or sharp part of an object with a file until it becomes smooth or flat
Daniel filed down the rough spot on the door frame so the paint would stick.
on file
idiomstored as part of the official records of an organization and available for reference
We have your credit card information on file from your last order.
Word family
- filernounB2
- filingnounB1
- filingadjectiveB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/2
All four words describe giving documents to an official body, but they differ in scope and context. 'File' specifically means sending documents that an authority requires by law or regulation, such as tax returns or insurance claims. 'Submit' is the broadest term — you can submit a homework assignment, a job application, or a research paper. 'Lodge' is common in British English for legal or formal documents, especially complaints and appeals ('lodge a complaint'). 'Register' means adding information to an official list, such as registering a birth or registering a company name. For everyday use with tax authorities, 'file' is the natural choice: 'I haven't filed my taxes yet.' In British English, 'lodge' sounds slightly more formal than 'file' in legal contexts, while 'submit' works across all registers.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'file' comes from two separate paths that merged into modern English. The 'storage' and 'records' meanings trace back through Old French 'filer' meaning 'to string documents on a thread', from Latin 'filum' meaning 'thread' — because early files were documents threaded together for storage. The 'smoothing tool' meaning comes from Old English 'feol', from a Germanic root, referring to a metal rasp. Both meanings have been in English since before the 1400s. The computer file sense is a 20th-century extension of the records meaning.