File \File\ (f[imac]l), n. [F. file row (cf. Pr., Sp., Pg., & It. fila), LL. fila, fr. L. filum a thread. Cf. Enfilade, Filament, Fillet.]

1. An orderly succession; a line; a row; as: (a) (Mil) A row of soldiers ranged one behind another; -- in contradistinction to rank, which designates a row of soldiers standing abreast; a number consisting the depth of a body of troops, which, in the ordinary modern formation, consists of two men, the battalion standing two deep, or in two ranks.

Note: The number of files in a company describes its width, as the number of ranks does its depth; thus, 100 men in ``fours deep'' would be spoken of as 25 files in 4 ranks. --Farrow.
   (b) An orderly collection of papers, arranged in sequence or classified for preservation and reference; as, files of letters or of newspapers; this mail brings English files to the 15th instant.
   (c) The line, wire, or other contrivance, by which papers are put and kept in order.

It is upon a file with the duke's other letters. --Shak.
   (d) A roll or list. ``A file of all the gentry.'' --Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

File \File\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Filed; p. pr. & vb. n. Filing.]

1. To set in order; to arrange, or lay away, esp. as papers in a methodical manner for preservation and reverence; to place on file; to insert in its proper place in an arranged body of papers.

I would have my several courses and my dishes well filed. --Beau. & Fl.

2. To bring before a court or legislative body by presenting proper papers in a regular way; as, to file a petition or bill. --Burrill.

3. (Law) To put upon the files or among the records of a court; to note on (a paper) the fact date of its reception in court.

To file a paper, on the part of a party, is to place it in the official custody of the clerk. To file, on the part of the clerk, is to indorse upon the paper the date of its reception, and retain it in his office, subject to inspection by whomsoever it may concern. --Burrill.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

File \File\, v. i. [Cf. F. filer.]

(Mil.) To march in a file or line, as soldiers, not abreast, but one after another; -- generally with off.

To file with, to follow closely, as one soldier after another in file; to keep pace.

My endeavors Have ever come too short of my desires, Yet filed with my abilities. --Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

File \File\, n. [AS. fe['o]l; akin to D. viji, OHG. f[=i]la, f[=i]hala, G. feile, Sw. fil, Dan. fiil, cf. Icel. ??l, Russ. pila, and Skr. pi? to cut out, adorn; perh. akin to E. paint.]

1. A steel instrument, having cutting ridges or teeth, made by indentation with a chisel, used for abrading or smoothing other substances, as metals, wood, etc.

Note: A file differs from a rasp in having the furrows made by straight cuts of a chisel, either single or crossed, while the rasp has coarse, single teeth, raised by the pyramidal end of a triangular punch.

2. Anything employed to smooth, polish, or rasp, literally or figuratively.

Mock the nice touches of the critic's file. --Akenside.

3. A shrewd or artful person. [Slang] --Fielding.

Will is an old file in spite of his smooth face. --Thackeray.

Bastard file, Cross file, etc. See under Bastard, Cross, etc.

Cross-cut file, a file having two sets of teeth crossing obliquely.

File blank, a steel blank shaped and ground ready for cutting to form a file.

File cutter, a maker of files.

Second-cut file, a file having teeth of a grade next finer than bastard.

Single-cut file, a file having only one set of parallel teeth; a float.

Smooth file, a file having teeth so fine as to make an almost smooth surface.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

File \File\, v. t.

1. To rub, smooth, or cut away, with a file; to sharpen with a file; as, to file a saw or a tooth.

2. To smooth or polish as with a file. --Shak.

File your tongue to a little more courtesy. --Sir W. Scott.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

File \File\, v. t. [OE. fulen, filen, foulen, AS. f?lan, fr. f?l foul. See Foul, and cf. Defile, v. t.]

To make foul; to defile. [Obs.]

All his hairy breast with blood was filed. --Spenser.

For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind. --Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)