circular file
- noun
- /ˈsɜrkjələr faɪl/
- Informal
:
papelera
- Even if you have the most beautifully exposed shot, if the horizon is not level, you have an image destined for the circular file!
Examples
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She joked that her proposal would go straight to the circular file if it didn't impress the committee.
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There are indeed various ways to recover deleted photos or movies from a digital camera's flash card, and even if the card gets corrupted, you can often salvage the majority of its contents before you have to toss it into the circular file (or, better, reformat it and see if it'll be okay).
Blog text (32) -
After receiving so many rejection letters, he decided to toss them all into the circular file.
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When my boss saw the outdated report, he said it would end up in the circular file soon.
Synonyms
15
1.0
A container with an open top for holding paper and small bits of rubbish
3
1.6
A bin with an open top for throwing away paper and small rubbish
2
1.3
A container with an open top for small trash like paper
A joking name for a trash can where unwanted papers go
A small open container for throwing away paper and other small rubbish
Surface Forms
Morphology
circular + file
Although 'circular' (round) and 'file' (folder/record) are individually understandable, the figurative sense 'wastebasket' is a humorous, culture-specific euphemism that cannot be reliably derived from the literal constituents. This meaning depends on idiomatic office jargon (putting something in the 'circular file' = throwing it away) and would not be predictable to an average B1 learner who only knows the component words.
Etymology
Circular file is a joking office name for a trash can. The name comes from circular, meaning 'round', and file, meaning 'place for papers'. Picture dropping unwanted pages into a round bin under the desk, so sending a document to the circular file means 'to throw it away' or 'ignore it'.