Dictionary.net

a set of related records (either written or electronic) kept together

a steel hand tool with small sharp teeth on some or all of its surfaces; used for smoothing wood or metal

office furniture consisting of a container for keeping papers in order

a line of persons or things ranged one behind the other

file a formal charge against; "The suspect was charged with murdering his wife"

smooth with a file; "file one's fingernails"

place in a container for keeping records; "File these bills, please"

record in a public office or in a court of law; "file for divorce"; "file a complaint"

proceed in line; "The students filed into the classroom"

a set of related records (either written or electronic) kept together

a steel hand tool with small sharp teeth on some or all of its surfaces; used for smoothing wood or metal

office furniture consisting of a container for keeping papers in order

a line of persons or things ranged one behind the other

register in a public office or in a court of law; "file for divorce"; "file a complaint"

file a formal charge against; "The suspect was charged with murdering his wife"

smooth with a file; "file one's fingernails"

To make foul; to defile.

An orderly succession; a line; a row

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.

The line, wire, or other contrivance, by which papers are put and kept in order.

A roll or list.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

A shrewd or artful person.

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

To smooth or polish as with a file.

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

To make foul; to defile.

An orderly succession; a line; a row

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.

The line, wire, or other contrivance, by which papers are put and kept in order.

A roll or list.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

A shrewd or artful person.

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

To smooth or polish as with a file.

A row of soldiers ranged one behind another; - in contradistinction to rank, which designates a row of soldiers standing abreast.

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

A term commonly used to describe both the process of submitting a document to a court--for example, "I filed my small claims case today"--and to describe the physical location where these papers are kept. Traditionally, a court's case files were kept indefinitely in one or more cardboard folders. Today many files--especially those for inactive cases--are stored by computer.

A wire, etc., on which papers are strung for safe-keeping or reference; a bundle of papers fastened together and endorsed with the date, contents, etc., of each; a case or cabinet in which papers may be arranged in an orderly way; a line of soldiers ranged one behind the other; a tool of hard steel with small grooves on the surface, used for cutting and smoothing.

To cut or smooth with such a tool; to arrange and put away (papers, etc.) in orderly fashion, for reference; place among the records of a court or house of legislature.

To march in a line.

A line or wire on which papers are placed in order; the papers so placed; a roll or list; a line of soldiers ranged behind one another.

To put upon a file; to arrange in an orderly manner; to put among the records of a court; to bring before a court.

To march in a file.

A steel instrument with sharpedged furrows for smoothing or rasping metals, etc.

To cut or smooth with, or as with a file.

Steel instrument for smoothing metals, &c.

To cut or smooth with a file.

To march in file.

To put upon a file.

Wire on which papers are stuck; bundle of arranged papers; list; line of soldiers behind one another.

To cut or sharpen with a file.

A hard steel abrading instrument.

To put on file, as papers.

To march in file, as soldiers.

Any device to keep papers in order for reference.

A collection of papers arranged for reference.

A row of men standing or marching one behind another.

A roll; list.

A line or wire on which papers are strung; the papers so strung or otherwise arranged in order; a bundle of papers tied together, with the title of each indorsed; a list or catalogue; a row of soldiers ranged one behind another, from front to rear.

A well-known steel instrument with little furrows on the surface, used in cutting or smoothing metals, ivory, or wood; a polishing apparatus.

To string or to fasten as papers, on a line or wire for preservation; to arrange papers in a bundle and in order; to present or exhibit officially or for trial.

To smooth or cut, as with a file; to correct.

To march in a file or line, as soldiers. To file off, to wheel off by files and march in length. Rank and file, the common soldiers; a body of men under leaders.

A line or wire on which papers are strung for preservation and reference; the number of papers so strung; a bundle of papers tied and titled; a row of soldiers ranged one behind the other, but, generally speaking, two soldiers, the front and rear-rank men.

To fasten together, as paper on a wire for preservation; to place officially among the records of a court.

A well-known steel tool with a toothed or ridged surface for reducing, smoothing, or cutting any article made of a metal.

To rub or smooth with a file; to wear off by friction.

n. [Latin] An orderly succession; a line; a row of soldiers ranged behind one another;—an orderly collection of papers arranged for preservation and ready reference; also, the line, wire, or other contrivance by which papers are put and kept in order.

n. [Anglo-Saxon, German] A steel instrument having the surface covered with sharp-edged furrows, used for abrading or smoothing other substances.

A thread; a line on which papers are strung; a catalogue, roll; a line of soldiers ranged one behind another; an instrument to smooth metals.