file2

 
Pronunciation: /fʌɪl/

noun

  • a line of people or things one behind another: files of tourists stream up the narrow lanes of Mont St Michel
  • Military a small detachment of troops: a file of English soldiers had ridden out from Perth
  • Chess each of the eight rows of eight squares on a chessboard running away from the player towards the opponent. Compare with rank1 (sense 2 of the noun).

verb

[no object, with adverbial of direction]
  • (of a group of people) walk one behind the other, typically in an orderly and solemn manner: the mourners filed into the church

Origin:

late 16th century: from French file, from filer 'to string'