"file" meaning in English

See file in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /faɪl/ [UK, US] Audio: en-us-file.ogg [US] Forms: file [singular], files [plural]
Head templates: {{noun}} [POS TABLE]
  1. A file is a set of papers or records on a specific issue, person, etc.
    Sense id: simple-file-en-noun-9rqktdtV
  2. A file is a set of information that can be opened, changed, and saved by a computer program.
    Sense id: simple-file-en-noun-ScZi7YkU
  3. A file is a place to keep papers organised.
    Sense id: simple-file-en-noun-pvJsisBL
  4. A file is a tool with rough sides that you rub against something to make it smooth.
    Sense id: simple-file-en-noun-gfLScnUD
  5. A file is a line of people.
    Sense id: simple-file-en-noun-AWCZWB9a

Verb

IPA: /faɪl/ [UK, US] Audio: en-us-file.ogg [US] Forms: file [canonical], files [third-person, singular], filed [past], filed [past, participle], filing [present, participle]
Head templates: {{verb|fil|e}} [POS TABLE]
  1. If you file papers or documents, you put them away in an organised way in one place.
    Sense id: simple-file-en-verb-AG8E9s4W
  2. If you file a report or a story, you submit it to your employer or editor.
    Sense id: simple-file-en-verb-RoP4fB6u
  3. If you file a complaint, you make an official complaint.
    Sense id: simple-file-en-verb-fXT2k8BS
  4. If people file somewhere, they go there in a line. Tags: preposition
    Sense id: simple-file-en-verb-AS87mPxo
  5. If you file something, you rub it with a file to make it smooth.
    Sense id: simple-file-en-verb-ZfZyjFE6
{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "file",
      "tags": [
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "files",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The letter should be in the file on the Herzog problem."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a set of papers or records on a specific issue, person, etc."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-noun-9rqktdtV"
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "My computer won't read the Word file you e-mailed me last night."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a set of information that can be opened, changed, and saved by a computer program."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-noun-ScZi7YkU"
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Can you put this receipt in the file?"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a place to keep papers organised."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-noun-pvJsisBL"
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a tool with rough sides that you rub against something to make it smooth."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-noun-gfLScnUD"
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a line of people."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-noun-AWCZWB9a"
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/faɪl/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-file.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "file"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "file",
      "tags": [
        "canonical"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "files",
      "tags": [
        "third-person",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "filed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "filed",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "participle"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "filing",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "participle"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fil",
        "2": "e"
      },
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I filed the letter under \"t\" for taxes."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you file papers or documents, you put them away in an organised way in one place."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-verb-AG8E9s4W",
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "What time did you file that story about the car crash?"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you file a report or a story, you submit it to your employer or editor."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-verb-RoP4fB6u",
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "If you file a complaint, you make an official complaint."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-verb-fXT2k8BS",
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive & intransitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "If people file somewhere, they go there in a line."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-verb-AS87mPxo",
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "preposition"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She went to the store for a manicure, which involves filing and polishing the nails."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you file something, you rub it with a file to make it smooth."
      ],
      "id": "simple-file-en-verb-ZfZyjFE6",
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive & intransitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/faɪl/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-file.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "file"
}
{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "file",
      "tags": [
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "files",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The letter should be in the file on the Herzog problem."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a set of papers or records on a specific issue, person, etc."
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "My computer won't read the Word file you e-mailed me last night."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a set of information that can be opened, changed, and saved by a computer program."
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Can you put this receipt in the file?"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a place to keep papers organised."
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a tool with rough sides that you rub against something to make it smooth."
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A file is a line of people."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/faɪl/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-file.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "file"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "file",
      "tags": [
        "canonical"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "files",
      "tags": [
        "third-person",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "filed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "filed",
      "tags": [
        "past",
        "participle"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "filing",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "participle"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fil",
        "2": "e"
      },
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I filed the letter under \"t\" for taxes."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you file papers or documents, you put them away in an organised way in one place."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "What time did you file that story about the car crash?"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you file a report or a story, you submit it to your employer or editor."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Intransitive verbs",
        "Transitive verbs"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you file a complaint, you make an official complaint."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive & intransitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Transitive verbs"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If people file somewhere, they go there in a line."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "preposition"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Intransitive verbs",
        "Transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She went to the store for a manicure, which involves filing and polishing the nails."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If you file something, you rub it with a file to make it smooth."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "transitive & intransitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/faɪl/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-file.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "file"
}

Download raw JSONL data for file meaning in English (2.6kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-13 from the simplewiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (4ba5975 and 4ed51a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.