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to file

to file

7 5.1
To rub something with a rough tool to make it smooth
  • verb
  • /faɪl/
translation icon : limar
  • Linda suddenly wished she had taken the time to file her broken nail.
  • file nails
  • file teeth
  • file edges

Wow, I'm going to file that slightly.

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Examples

  • One I particularly remember had her front teeth filed into points.

    Blog text (25)
  • I can file down that sear pin.

  • I already filed them down.

  • When he returned, he found me filing sharp points to some pieces of wire...

    Academic text (1995)
  • The firing pin is filed down, right?

  • So I am just going to trim my nails and file them and paint them.

  • It's a new habit of mine, filing my nails, and it is intended to prevent my chewing them.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Claude took measurements and filed, then repeated the process.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • He had filed his teeth down to sharp points to add to the ferocity of his appearance.

  • To prepare the piece of wood for painting, I will file the edges until they are smooth.

Synonyms

to file off
vsto file
3 5.2

To rub a surface with a small rough tool to remove something

focuses on smoothing or shaping rather than removing material
to rasp
vsto file
  • Specialized
1 7.8

To scrape a surface with a rough tool to shape it

smooths or shapes by rubbing with a rough surface tool, not coarse scraping
to smoothen
vsto file
4.3

To make a surface flat and even by rubbing or polishing

uses rubbing with a rough handheld tool rather than polishing or natural change

Antonyms

2 4.2

To make a surface not smooth so it feels bumpy

Idioms

on file
  • Formal
43 2.7

Information that an office or school keeps in an official record

Phrasal Verbs

35 4.6

To start legal action by giving a complaint to a court

9 3.5

Ask an insurance company for money after you lose or damage something

9 3.5

Enter a place by walking in a line behind other people

7 3.7

To leave a place in a line one after another

6 3.3

To place papers in order and keep them where you can find them later

3 7.7

To give a short written legal argument to a court

3 3.5

Officially send a completed form showing your income and taxes you owe

3 5.2

To rub a surface with a small rough tool to remove something

1 5.8

To send an application to a government office to protect an invention

Remove or hide marks that show where something comes from

to run your file
  • Specialized
4.6

Have a program check a computer file for errors

to zip a file
  • Specialized
3.5

To put more than one file into one smaller file for sending or saving

Compounds

34 4.3

Ordinary members of a group who are not leaders

19 2.8

A line of people or things where one is behind another

15 2.1

A piece of office furniture with drawers that hold papers

13 2.2

A collection of information saved on a computer under a name

file sharing
  • Texting
13 2.9

A way to send digital files like documents or music over the internet, sometimes without permission

audio file
  • Specialized
9 3.3

A digital item that stores recorded sound like a song or podcast

video file
  • Specialized
9 2.3

A computer file that stores moving pictures and sound, like an MP4

7 3.4

A file that a program uses to keep related information

7 3.2

A person who organizes and keeps office papers and records

5 1.8

A folded piece of stiff paper that keeps loose papers in order

text file
  • Specialized
4 2.7

A computer file that has only plain text

4 3.5

A way of arranging and storing paper documents or computer data so you can find them

4 2.7

Name used to tell which computer file it is, often showing its type

backup file
  • Specialized
3 2.8

A file that stores a copy of other files so you can get them back if they are lost

master file
  • Specialized
1 4.2

The main computer record that holds original data for reference

file server
  • Specialized
1 3.6

A computer on a network that stores files and lets other users access them with permission

1 3.4

A file on a computer that holds information about a specific project

binary file
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A computer file that stores data in a non-text form for programs to read

file allocation table
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A table on a computer disk that shows where information is stored and which areas cannot be used

main file
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A central computer document that holds official records for a project

input file
  • Specialized
1 3.4

A computer file that contains data for a program to use

output file
  • Specialized
1 3.0

A computer file that stores data produced by a program

swap file
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A file on the hard drive used as extra memory when RAM is full

transaction file
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A computer file that holds recent records of actions updated while the computer works

blunt file
  • Specialized
7.1

A metal tool with two flat sides used to smooth or shape hard materials

circular file
  • Informal
7.5

A joke name for a wastebasket where unwanted papers go

dedicated file server
  • Specialized
5.1

A computer used only to store and share files for other computers

detail file
  • Specialized
5.5

A computer file that holds temporary data for a specific task

disk file
  • Specialized
3.4

A computer file stored on a disk with a unique name

dirt file
  • Literature
8.4

A set of secret bad facts about a person kept to use against them

editorial file
  • Literature
5.8

A set of documents ready to be printed or published

A way to share files over a network that lets people download without a password

ASCII text file
  • Specialized
3.5

A file that has only plain letters, numbers, and symbols with no special formatting

3.7

A standard way for computers to send files to each other over the internet

file name extension
  • Specialized
3.5

A few letters or numbers after a file name that show the file type

flat file
  • Specialized
5.8

A hand tool with a rough flat surface that you move to smooth or shape wood and metal

4.4

A tool for rubbing away hard skin from the soles of the feet

mug file
  • Jargon
8.1

A set of police photos of arrested people used to identify suspects

7.6

A single line of people or things one behind another

7.5

A computer that shares files on a network and is also used for work

rat-tail file
  • Specialized
9.5

A thin metal tool with a round taper used to smooth small round holes and curves

read-only file
  • Specialized
3.9

A file you can open and view but cannot change or delete

round file
  • Specialized
7.0

A metal tool with a round shape to smooth or widen holes

round file
  • Informal
7.8

A joking name for a trash can where unwanted papers go

taper file
  • Specialized
8.2

A hand tool with edges that narrow to a point for shaping and smoothing metal or wood

8.2

A set of folders or notes that remind you when to do tasks

A cabinet for holding papers upright in folders so you can pull them out easily

4.2

A rough tool with sharp teeth that shapes and smooths wood

How Smooth

to polish
46 1.1
to sand
27 3.5
to file
7 5.1
rasp
  • Specialized
1 8.2

Surface Forms

file infinitive
filed past
filed past participle
filing present participle
files third person singular

Etymology

File (verb) 'to smooth by rubbing' comes from the tool file and the old root fil meaning 'to rub' or 'scrape', so to file something is to rub it with a rough tool until it is smooth.