file

file¹ W2S1 [faıl] n

[Sense: 1-3, 5; Date: 1500-1600; : French; Origin: fil 'thread', from Latin filum (because documents were stored on pieces of string).]

[Sense: 4; Origin: Old English feol]

1.) a set of papers, records etc that contain information about a particular person or subject

file on

▪ Mendoza read over the file on the murders.

▪ The FBI keeps files on former White House employees.

▪ We will keep your details on file (=store them for later use) .

police/case/medical etc file

▪ a copy of the court file

2.) a box or piece of folded card in which you store loose papers

▪ She pulled a blue file from the shelf.

3.) information on a computer that you store under a particular name

▪ Click on the icon to open the file .

▪ You can always save the file into another directory.

▪ files downloaded from the Internet

▪ a plain text file

4.) a metal tool with a rough surface that you rub on something to make it smooth

→↑nail file

5.) a line of people who are standing or walking one behind the other

file of

▪ a file of soldiers marching in step

in file

▪ It was dark as we set off in file.

→↑single file, ↑rank and file

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COLLOCATES for sense 3

open a file

close a file

save a file

create a file

delete a file

copy a file

access a file

edit a file (=make changes to it)

download a file (=make a copy of a file on the hard disk of your computer)

text/data/graphics file (=containing text etc)

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file ²

file² S3 v

1.) [T]

to keep papers, documents etc in a particular place so that you can find them easily

▪ The contracts are filed alphabetically .

file sth under sth

▪ I looked to see if anything was filed under my name.

file sth away

▪ The handbooks are filed away for future reference.

2.) [T]

to give or send an official report or news story to your employer

▪ The officer left the scene without filing a report.

3.) [I always + adverb/preposition, T] law

to give a document to a court or other organization so that it can be officially recorded and dealt with

file a complaint/lawsuit/petition etc (against sb)

▪ Mr Genoa filed a formal complaint against the department.

file for

▪ The Morrisons have filed for divorce .

▪ Today is the deadline for Americans to file their tax returns .

4.) [I always + adverb/preposition]

if people file somewhere, they walk there in a line

▪ We began to file out into the car park.

▪ The mourners filed past the coffin.

5.) [I always + adverb/preposition, T]

to use a metal or wooden tool to rub something in order to make it smooth

▪ File down the sharp edges.

▪ She sat filing her nails.