round file
- noun
- /raʊnd faɪl/
- Specialized
:
lima redonda
- I need to buy a new round file for my workshop.
Examples
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He used a round file to smooth the edges of the drilled hole.
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A round file is ideal for shaping the inside of curved surfaces.
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The mechanic reached for a round file to enlarge the opening slightly.
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The carpenter used a round file to smooth the edges.
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To shape the inner edges of the metal piece, I needed a round file to smooth the curves.
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After drilling the holes, I used a round file to enlarge them for a better fit.
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For the woodworking project, he carefully employed a round file to ensure the joints were perfectly shaped.
Synonyms
54
5.6
A rough tool with sharp teeth used to shape metal or wood
A thin metal tool with a round taper used to smooth small round holes and curves
A hand tool with a rough flat surface that you move to smooth or shape wood and metal
A rough tool with sharp teeth that shapes and smooths wood
How Narrow
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense ‘a trash can’ cannot be compositionally derived from 'round' (circular) + 'file' (a tool or even a document file); the phrase is a humorous/euphemistic idiom used in office contexts rather than a literal description. Because the meaning is idiomatic and requires pragmatic/folk knowledge of the euphemism, a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would unlikely infer it without prior exposure.
Etymology
Round file is a tool shaped like a long cylinder that fits into holes. Craftspeople push and twist it inside a hole to smooth or make the opening larger, so the name points to its round shape and its job of shaping inside curves.