File sb.²

Also 6–7 fyle. [Properly two different words, ultimately of identical etymology: (1) a. Fr. fil = Pr. fil, It. filo, Sp. hilo:—L. fÇlum thread; (2) a. Fr. file = Pr., and It. fila, Sp. hila:—Com. Romanic *fila, fem. sing.; according to some scholars a vbl. sb. f. filare, to spin, draw out threads, f. L. fīlum.]

  I.  Senses chiefly repr. F. fil.

  † 1.  A thread. a. fig. The thread of life. b. transf. Of the nerves: A nerve-cord. Obs.

1606.  N. Baxter, Sidney’s Ourania, Nij b.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 223. A dubble file or threed to the top of the tail.

  † 2.  The thread, course, or tenor (of a story, argument, etc.). Obs.

1560–1.  Schort Somme 1st Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot., § 14. Following the file and dependance of the text.

1596.  Spenser, F. Q., VII. vi. 37.

1612.  Shelton, Quix., III. x. I. 209. You must promise me that you will not interrupt the File of my doleful Narration with either Demand or other Thing.

a. 1639.  Wotton, in Reliq. Wotton. (1685), 223. Let me resume the File of my Relation, which this Object of Books (best agreeable to my course of life) hath a little interrupted.

1647.  N. Bacon, Discourse of the Laws & Government of England, I. xlv. (1682), 73. Nor did the thing enter into the King’s purpose, if the file of his purposes be rightly considered: For speaking concerning Castles, Burroughs, and Cities, which are in nature limbs of the Common-wealth, he saith that they were built for the defence of the people and Kingdom.

  3.  A string or wire, on which papers and documents are strung for preservation and reference. In recent use extended to various other appliances for holding papers so that they can be easily referred to.

1525.  in Vicary’s Anat. (1888), App. viii. 214. Thapothecaries shall kepe the billis that they serue, vpon a fyle.

1649.  Lanc. Tracts (Chetham Soc.), 233. The twelve chief conspirators, should be severally sent for into one roome, at one time, and afterwards severally examined, which accordingly was done; their examinations remaining still upon fyle in Manchester.

1666.  Pepys, Diary, 9 Dec. Burning all the unnecessary letters which I have had upon my file for four or five years backward.

1732.  Acc. Workhouses, 175. Keep the tradesmen’s notes upon a file.

1768.  Foote, Devil on 2 Sticks, II. Wks. 1799, II. 259. There are some of their names, I am sure, that I never desire to see on my file.

1866.  W. Collins, Armadale, II. IV. iii. 277. Some place in the City where all the papers are kept, as he calls it, in file.

1882.  Black, Shandon Bells, vi. He mechanically took from Mr. Gifford a printed slip which the latter pulled off a file.

  fig.  1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 275. We hang vppe this accusation also vpon the file of your other slaunderous lyes so long, vntill in your next false inuectiues you acquite you of this cryme.

1659.  J. Arrowsmith, Armilla Catechetica. A chain of Principles, 200. This commination standeth upon the file in holy Scripture, and is not yet completely verified.

  b.  esp. one in a court of law to hold proceedings or documents in a cause, etc.; the list of documents, etc., in a cause.

  In the Court of Chancery the pleadings themselves were filed; in the Common Law Courts the pleadings and judgments were enrolled, and only affidavits and collateral documents were filed.

1607.  in Cowel, Interpr.

1631.  Reports of Cases in the Courts of Star Chamber (Camden), 42. The sentence of the court was that S^r Arthur Ingram was cleare of the forgery and other crymes, that the bill should be taken off the fyle, that the plaintiff should pay a fyne of 100l. to the King.

1718.  Prior, Solomon, II. 722.

1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), V. 285. They will not, however, order the fine to be taken off the file.

1833.  Mylne & Keen, Reports, II. 247. This was the only bill upon the file relative to the testator’s estate.

1885.  Law Times’ Rep., LII. 681/2. A motion was made to take the affidavits off the file.

  † c.  A catalogue, list, roll. Obs.

1566.  Partridge, The Hystorie of the Moste Noble Knight Plasidas, D iij.

1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. iii. 10.

1620.  Dekker, Dreame, 10.

1697.  Dryden, A Discourse on Epick Poetry, Prose Wks. 1800, III. 441. The file of heroick poets is very short; all are not such, who have assumed that lofty title in ancient or modern ages, or have been so esteemed by their partial and ignorant admirers.

1702.  C. Mather, Magnalia Christi Americana, III. III. (1852), I. 544. It would not be improper under this file to lodge the singular and surprising successes of his prayers!

1795.  Burke, Regic. Peace, iv. Wks. IX. 335. When the Jacobins of France, by their studied, deliberated, catalogued files of murders with the poiguard, the sabre, and the tribunal, have shocked whatever remained of human sensibility in our breasts, then it was they distinguished the resources of party policy.

  4.  A collection of papers placed on a file, or merely arranged in order of date or subject for ready reference.

a. 1626.  Bacon, Adv. Villiers, Wks. 1740, III. 566. After you have ranked them into several files, according to the subject matter.

1699.  Garth, The Dispensary, III. 32.

1806.  Naval Chron., XV. 113. As he was fond of reading, his patron directed, that whensoever an opportunity offered, files of newspapers, with magazines and other books, should be sent to him.

1806.  Wilberforce, in G. Rose, Diaries (1860), II. 212. I am extremely pressed, having just this moment got a file of letters.

1847.  Ld. Houghton, in Life (1891), I. ix. 401. You can get at the Embassy or the news-room a file of the Times, the commercial leaders of which you should get up.

1851.  D. Jerrold, St. Giles, xii. 121. A man who has a file of receipts to show for everything; a man who never did owe a shilling; and above all, a man who takes all the good he gets as nothing more than a proper payment for his exceeding respectability.

1860.  Mrs. Gaskell, C. Brontë, 301. She sent to Leeds for a file of the ‘Mercuries’ of 1812, ’13 and ’14.

  5.  Her. = LABEL (but sometimes distinguished: cf. quot. 1727). [So in Fr.]

1562.  Legh, Armorie (1597), 107. He beareth Argent, a fyle with iij. Lambeaux Azure, for a difference. Some will call them a Labell of three pointes.

c. 1640.  J. Smyth, Lives Berkeleys (1883), I. 120. The Cheveron … distinguished by a file with five labels to shew that he was a fifth brother.

1710.  Hearne, Collect., 5 May. A Shield with a Cross Saltire and a File of 5 Points.

1727.  Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. File, Some distinguish File and Label, calling the File the upper horizontal Line, and the Label the Point that issues from it.

1889.  Elvin, Dict. Heraldry, File or Label.

  6.  A disease, ? from its producing an appearance of lines or threads: † a. in trees = Fr. fil (obs.); b. in cattle, dial.

1600.  Surflet, Countrie Farme, III. xlvii. 520. The file is a disease in trees that fretteth their barkes.

1688.  in R. Holme, Armoury, II. 86/1. Some term it a File of three points fixed, or extending to the Base.

1893.  Northumberland Gloss., s.v. File, ‘File in the foot’ is a disease peculiar to cattle and sheep.

  II.  Senses repr. Fr. file.

  7.  Mil. The number of men constituting the depth from front to rear of a formation in line, etc. In file: one behind the other. For Indian, Single file see those adjs. Rank and file: see RANK.

  The front of a file is one man (the file-leader), the depth may be any number; but in the modern English formation of infantry it is only two, consisting of the front and the rear rank men.

1598.  Barret, Theor. Warres, III. i. 37. By file, I vnderstand all the line, order, or row of all the souldiers standing consequently one after another, from front to the traine, either in march or squadron.

1625.  Markham, Souldiers Accid., 6. A File (howeuer the Spaniards and Italians vse it in vncertaine depth) ought neuer to be aboue ten persons deepe (except it be in marching or in most especiall seruice, where advantage of ground requireth the contrary).

1633.  T. Stafford, Pacata Hibernia, ii. (1821), 524. Some places such straights and craggie rocks, as it was impossible for men to march but in file.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 339.

1734.  trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist., V. 9. Each squadron had for men in front and eight in depth, for that was the usual depth of the files, which the officers might change according as circumstances required.

1790.  Burns, Sheriffmuir, 15.

1796–7.  Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813), 34. The others, the more exactly to attain a perfect line, instead of attempting at once to dress by each other’s breasts, will first cover in file with precision at their required distances, and then carefully front as directed, before their several divisions move up to them.

1810.  Wellington, in Gurw., Desp., VI. 208. The 16^th are very strong; when I saw them the other day they were 59 file a squadron.

1816.  Byron, Siege Cor., xxiii.

1838.  Prescott, Ferd. & Is. (1846), I. x. 406. In vain did Ferdinand, riding along their broken files, endeavour to reanimate their spirits and restore order.

1864.  Skeat, trans. Uhland’s Poems, 243.

  transf. and fig.  a. 1613.  Overbury, A Wife (1638), 109. Hunger and cold ranke in the same file with him, and hold him to a man.

1649.  Bp. Hall, Cases Consc. (1650), 15. That we be not in the first file of enhancers.

1650.  R. Stapylton, Strada’s The History of the Low-Countrey Warres, II. 44. As well in peace as war, he [Egmont] was by the Emperour valued in the first file of Nobility.

c. 1665.  Mrs. Hutchinson, Mem. Col. Hutchinson (1846), 3. In all his actions it [valour] ever marched in the same file with wisdom.

1700.  Blackmore, Song of Moses.

1713.  Young, A Poem on the Last Day, II. 141.

1842.  Tennyson, Locksley Hall, 177.

  b.  Phrases: † To accept the files, to open one’s own ranks for a charging enemy to enter. To double the files: to put two files in one and so make the ranks smaller; also fig. To close their files, see CLOSE v. 10 b. To take the right-hand file, to take precedence.

1616.  Bingham, Ælian’s Tactics, xxix. 137 notes. Double your files to the right or left hand.

1629.  Massinger, Picture, III. v.

1642.  Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., I. i. 3. In her husbands absence she is wife and deputy-husband, which makes her double the files of her diligence.

1706.  Phillips (ed. Kersey), s.v. File, To Double the Files, is to put two Files into one, which makes the Ranks look thin.

1868.  Kinglake, Crimea, IV. v. 163. It used to be said of the foreigners that they ‘accepted the files.’

  c.  A small body of men, formerly varying in number from two to twelve or more, but now usually two. Also, when ‘marching in files’ (see file-marching in 11), the two soldiers walking abreast.

1616.  Bingham, Ælian’s Tactics, xxix. 136 notes. When 16 men (that is a file) are so extended, that they possesse as much length as 32 should doe (that is, as 2 files).

1624.  Capt. Smith, Virginia, VI. 239. They met with a file of Saluages that let fly their Arrowes, shot for shot, till Hobomack shewed himselfe, and then they fled.

1647.  Sprigge, Anglia Rediviva, II. iv. (1854), 105. Twelve files of men with firearms and pikes to follow the ladders to each place where the storm was to be.

1702.  Steele, Funeral, V. 70. A file of Men, Bumpkin, is six Men.

1769.  Junius Lett., xxxi. 142. The general was escorted by a file of musqueteers.

1832.  Regul. Instr. Cavalry, III. 45. A File, two Soldiers placed one behind the other when formed in ranks, but abreast when marching in file.

1836.  Marryat, Midsh. Easy, viii. 34. If you are not on board this evening, to-morrow morning, at daylight, I shall send a sergeant and a file of marines to fetch you.

1844.  Regul. & Ord. Army, 262. A Non-commissioned Officer, with a file of Men, is frequently to visit Sentinels during the day.

  8.  A row of persons, animals, or things placed one behind the other. The common file = ‘the common herd’ (obs. or arch.) In file: one after another, in succession.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., III. ii. 144. The greater file of the subiect held the Duke to be wise.
    Ibid. (1607), Cor. I. vi. 43.

1656.  trans. Hobbes’ Elem. Philos., 364. This Hoarse Sound when it is made (as I have said) by the Aire raking the Superficies of a hard Body, seemeth to be nothing but the dividing of the Aire into innumerable and very small Files.

1712–4.  Pope, Rape Lock, I. 137.

a. 1734.  North, Lives, III. 134. He furnished it richly, especially one state-apartment of divers rooms in file.

1740.  Somerville, Hobbinol, III. 230.

1794.  Wordsw., Guilt & Sorrow, iv.

1826.  Disraeli, Viv. Grey, III. viii. I push my way into court through files of attorneys, as civil to the rogues as possible. Ibid., VI. i. From the top to the bottom of the table extended a double file of wine-glasses and goblets, of all sizes and all colours.

1834.  H. Miller, Scenes & Leg., xviii. (1876), 264. The eye rested on what seemed an endless file of bare gloomy cliffs, partially covered with snow.

1838.  Prescott, Ferd. & Is. (1846), I. xi. 432. Whose military prowess had raised him from the common file up to the highest post in the army.

1845.  Darwin, Voy. Nat., ii. (1879), 35. When the ants came to the road they changed their course, and in narrow files reascended the wall.

1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xvi. 192. When I reached the tent-curtain, the men were standing in silent file on each side of it.

1867.  Lady Herbert, Cradle Lands, iv. 121. A little interruption occurred from a file of camels passing along the narrow and ill-paved street.

  9.  Chess. One of the eight lines of squares extending across the board from player to player. An open file: one on which no piece or pawn of either color is standing. To seize the open file: to place a rook or the queen on the first square.

1614.  Saul, Chesse-play, i. 3 Imagine that the blacke King for his first draught playeth his owne Pawne into the third house in his owne file.

1680.  Cotton, Compl. Gamester, iv. (ed. 2), 39. The Rook goes backward and forward in any file.

1860.  Pardon, Handbk. Chess, 15. The horizontal rows of squares are termed ranks and the vertical squares files.

  10.  The run or track of a hare; also, To run her file (see quot. 1838).

1815.  Sporting Mag., XLV. 109. It is strictly necessary to look into the hares’ files for wires.

1838.  Holloway, Dict. Provinc., File.… When sportsmen say the hare runs her File, that is runs round the same track continually, to foil or deceive the dogs.

  11.  attrib. and Comb., as file-closer, -leader († -lead), -mark. Also, file-fire, -firing, firing by files, now called independent firing (opposed to volley-firing); file-marching, marching in files, by turning from a formation in line to the right or left, so that the line becomes a series of files facing to the right or left flank; † file-wort, Gerarde’s rendering of botanical L. fīlāgo, the name of a genus of plants.

1888.  Charles King, The Leavenworth School, in Harper’s Mag., LXXVI. April, 788/1. The student officers hidden as *file-closers behind their companies.

1857.  The New Boy at Styles’s, in Househ. Words, 9 May, 436/1. The usual *file-fire of glances was exchanged, as the two trains swept past each other on opposite sides of the road, but only one casualty occurred.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. VI. iii. 324. His Jurymen are charged to make feu de file, *file-firing till the ground be clear.

1847.  Infantry Man. (1854), 40. Independent or file firing may commence.

1775.  Ash, *File-lead … the foremost man in the file.

1616.  Bingham, Ælian’s Tactics, v. 42. Hee that leadeth the file, who is also called the *file-leader.

1796–7.  Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813), 18. The file leaders preserve such distances as they ought from which ever hand they are to dress to.

1809.  W. Irving, Knickerb. (1861), 135. Most people require a set creed and a file-leader.

1847.  Infantry Man. (1854), 49. *File marching may be adopted.

1597.  Gerard, Herball, App. *Filewort is Filago minor.