1. (n.) An orderly succession; a line; a row

2. (n.) A row of soldiers ranged one behind another; -- in contradistinction to rank, which designates a row of soldiers standing abreast; a number consisting the depth of a body of troops, which, in the ordinary modern formation, consists of two men, the battalion standing two deep, or in two ranks.

3. (n.) An orderly collection of papers, arranged in sequence or classified for preservation and reference; as, files of letters or of newspapers; this mail brings English files to the 15th instant.

4. (n.) The line, wire, or other contrivance, by which papers are put and kept in order.

5. (n.) A roll or list.

6. (n.) Course of thought; thread of narration.

7. (v. t.) To set in order; to arrange, or lay away, esp. as papers in a methodical manner for preservation and reverence; to place on file; to insert in its proper place in an arranged body of papers.

8. (v. t.) To bring before a court or legislative body by presenting proper papers in a regular way; as, to file a petition or bill.

9. (v. t.) To put upon the files or among the records of a court; to note on (a paper) the fact date of its reception in court.

10. (v. i.) To march in a file or line, as soldiers, not abreast, but one after another; -- generally with off.

11. (n.) A steel instrument, having cutting ridges or teeth, made by indentation with a chisel, used for abrading or smoothing other substances, as metals, wood, etc.

12. (n.) Anything employed to smooth, polish, or rasp, literally or figuratively.

13. (n.) A shrewd or artful person.

14. (v. t.) To rub, smooth, or cut away, with a file; to sharpen with a file; as, to file a saw or a tooth.

15. (v. t.) To smooth or polish as with a file.

16. (v. t.) To make foul; to defile.

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