filch 
He lias play'd the thief with me. tinil Jilrh'it away 
The richest jewel of my life, my honour. 
Y>. and Fl., Laws of C:ui<l\ . ii. I. 
My c panion manages to/fcA a raw onion and a crust 
of bread, which we share. 
B. Taylor, Lands of the Saracen, p. -1. 
filcht (filch), . [< filcJi, v. <.] 1. A stick with 
a hook at the end, used in filching articles from 
windows, clothes-lines, etc. 
When lice Kes a Filching, he putteth a hooke of yron, 
with which hooke hee angles at a window, in the dead of 
night, for shirts, smockes, or any other linueii or woollen ; 
and for that reason is the staffe tearmed a Filch. 
Deleter, English Villanies, sig. M, 3 (ed. 1832). 
2. An act of theft; also, the thing stolen. 
This is all you have to do, 
Save every hour & filch or two, 
He it money, cloth, or pullen. 
Middleton, More Dissemblers besides Women, iv. 1. 
filcher (fil'eher), n. One who niches ; one who 
is guilty of petty theft. 
For never 
Will I leave off the search of this bad man, 
This Jilcher of affections, this love pedler. 
Fletcher (and another), Love's Pilgrimage, iii. 1. 
Every bit of brisk living, and above all when it is health- 
ful, is just so much gained upon the wholesale Richer, 
death. R. Z. Stenensim, Inland Voyage, p. 124. 
filchingly (fil'ching-li), adv. By pilfering ; in a 
thievish manner, 
fildt, n. An occasional Middle English form of 
field. 
fll de trace (fel de tras). [F. : fll, thread ; (le, 
of; trace, outline: see trace, .] In lace-mak- 
ing: (a) The outline of a pattern in needle- 
point lace. (6) A thread of peculiar texture 
differing from that of the rest of the lace and 
used in making such outline, 
fildort, fildoret, . [ME., < OF. fll (Tor, thread 
of gold: fil (< L. filum), thread; de (< L. de), 
of; or (< L. aurum), gold: see file 3 , rfe 2 , or 3 .] 
Gold thread. 
The mane of that mayn hors much to hit lyke, 
Wei cresped & cemmed wyth knottes ful mony, 
Folden in \\ythjildore aboute the fayre grene, 
Ay a herle of the here, an other of golde. 
Sir Qawayne and the Green Kniyht (E. E. T. S.), 1. 189. 
file 1 (fil), n. [< ME. file, fyle, < AS. fe6l, earli- 
est form fill (8th cent, gloss) (contr. of orig. 
"filial) = D. rijl = LG. file = OHG. fihala and 
contr. fila, MHG. vile, G. feile = Sw. Dan. fil 
= Icel. thel, mod. thjol (th for/) = OBulg. Ser'v. 
Bohem. Pol. Russ. pila = Lith. pcla, a file; 
prob. ult. from the root seen in L. pingere, pp. 
pictus, adorn with needle or pencil, paint, pic- 
ture, = Skt. \/ pic, adorn, form : see paint, pic- 
ture.] 1. A metal (usually steel) tool, having a 
rectangular, triangular, round, or irregular sec- 
tion, and either tapering or of uniform width 
b I- 
a, cotter-file when large, and verge- or pivot-file when small ; *, 
square file (parallel or taper) ; c, banking or watch-pinion file when 
parallel, ana knife-file when taper; d, half-round, nicking, piercing, 
or round-off file; e, round, gulieting, or rat-tail file; /, triangular, 
three-square, or saw file ; jf, equaling, clock-pinion, or endless-screw 
file when par.illel, and slitting, entering, warding, or barrel-hole file 
when taper; ft, cross- or double-half-round file; i, screw-head, fea- 
ther-edge, or slitting file. 
and thickness, covered on one or more of its 
surfaces with teeth or transverse or oblique 
ridges, used for abrading, reducing, or smooth- 
ing metal, ivory, wood, or other resistant ma- 
terials. See phrases below. 
Time doth with his secret file 
Fret and diminish each thing every-while. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, i. 6. 
2. Figuratively, any means employed to refine 
or polish something, as literary style. 
Mock the nice touches of the critic's file. 
Akensid'e, Odes, ii. 1. 
3. In entom., a surface covered with fine par- 
allel ridges, on which another surface can be 
rubbed, producing the sound called stridula- 
tion. These organs are found on various parts 
of the body, as the wings, thorax, and abdo- 
men. 4. The rough spines of a sea-urchin, 
as a cidarid. [Prov. Eng.] -Balance-wheel file. 
See balance-wheel. -Barrel-hole file, a watchmakers' 
hie, of rectangular section, very thin, and with parallel 
edges. Bastard file. See bastard. Blunt file, a file 
terminating in a blunt end, and graded between a taper 
Ille and a dead-parallel file.- Cabinet file, a fine sin- 
gle-cut tile for wood-work. Cant file. See aaU-JUt. 
Checkering-file, a tile formed of two files riveted t" 
gether to form two edges, one of which serves as a guide 
or -spacer, while the other cuts a groove, used in checker- 
work such as is formed on the small of gun-stocks, etc. 
Also called double Jile. Circular file, a circular saw or 
serrated disk designed to run on a spindle or mandrel, 
used to cut the teeth of cog-wheels. Clock-pinion file. 
Same as endless-screw file. Cotter file. Sec letter-file. 
Dead file, a flle whose cuta are so tine that it makes 
very little noise in use. Dead-parallel flle. See paral- 
lel 'rile.- Dead-smooth flle, a tile having very tine and 
close tei-th. Sometime! oallea superfine file.- Dental file, 
a small file of varied and peculiar forms used in mechani- 
calandoperativedentistry.-Double-CUt file, a tile which 
has two series of straight cuts crossing each other, and thus 
forming a number of points or teeth. Double flle. Same 
as checkeriiuj-file. Double-half-rquud flle, a file with 
curved sides and convex edges of different angles. It is 
used for dressing or crossing out balance-wheels, and 
hence is also called cross-file. Dove tail-file, a thin flle 
with a back of tin or brass, resembling the stiffener of a 
dovetail- or tenon-saw. Endless-screw flle, a Hat file 
with a constant thickness and parallel edges. Also called 
equtdinu-file. Entering-flle, a Hat tapering flle for pre- 
paring work for a cotter or other flle. Equaling-file, a 
flat flle with a constant thickness, more or less tapering in 
width. Equalizing-file, a Hat flle of uniform thickness, 
used in repairing watches and clocks. Feather-edge 
file, a file having a sharp edge, the cross-section forming 
an acute angle. Five-cant flle, a flle having one angle 
of 108 and two of 36 each, used to flle M-toothed saws. 
Flat file, a common double-cut flle of various grades of 
fineness of cut, sometimes taper, and sometimes of uni- 
form size through the whole length. Float-file, a single- 
cut flle used by comb-makers and ivory-carvers, of several 
kinds, known as carter, tapper, etc. Gulletlng-flle, a 
round, blunt, single-cut flle for sharpening saws. Half- 
round file, a flle flat on one side and rounding on the 
other. K. 11. Knight. Half- thick flle, a flle used as a 
rubber flle for coarse work. It is strong and heavy, and 
has one round side and three flat ones. Knife-file, a flle 
with a sharp edge and thin blade-like section, used to finish 
narrow grooves. Lead-float flle, a coarse single-cut flle 
for soft metals. Marble- workers' flle, one of a series 
of fine flies and rasps used by sculptors and workers in 
marble. One form has perforations for the escape of the 
dust. Middle-cut flle, a flle of which the teeth are in 
coarseness between the rough and the bastard. Nicking - 
file, a thin flle for making nicks in the heads of screws. 
E. II. Kniyht. Parallel flle, a file of uniform section, 
or without taper from tang to point. A flat and mathe- 
matically correct flle is termed a dead-parallel file. Per- 
forated flle, a sculptors' flle which has perforations to 
permit the escape of abraded material. It was invented 
by Hiram Powers. Piercing-Hie, a sharp and narrow 
file to enlarge a narrow drilled hole, K. H. Knight. 
Plvot-flle, a flne flle used in dressing pivots on the arbors 
of watches. E. H. Knight. Rat-tall file, a small, round, 
tapering file. Rough flle, a flle with heavy deep cuts 
made at an angle of about 12" to the perpendicular. 
Round-edge file, a form of flle with a convex edge, used 
in dressing the spaces between the teeth of gear-wheels. 
E. H. Knight. Round file, one of a series of small flies 
of circular section. If tapering, such flies are called rat- 
tail files; if of uniform section, they are called joint-files, 
from their use in filing out apertures for joint-wires and 
pintles of hinges. E. II. Kniiiht. Round-joint flle, a 
form of file used in clock-making. Round-off flle, a 
small half-round file, with the convex side safe or un- 
cut, used for rounding or pointing the teeth of wheels 
originally cut square. E. II. K mijht. Safe-edged flle, 
a flle having one edge or more left uncut and made smooth. 
Such flies are most commonly used in forming a shoul- 
der or set-off, and in filing out rectangular corners. In 
certain files the edges only are cut, the faces being left, 
smooth. Saw-file, a flle for sharpening saw-teeth, tri- 
angular in cross-section for hand-saws and flat for mill- 
saws. E. H. Knight. Screw-bead file, a feather-edged 
file for nicking screw-heads. E. II. Kniffht. Second- 
cut flle, a flle graded between the bastard ami smooth 
flies. Single-cut file, any flle. having a single series or 
course of teeth: distinguished from the double-cut file. 
Slittlng-flle, a file with two acute and two obtuse edges 
and parallel sides. E. Ii. Kniffht. Smooth flle, a finish- 
ing flle graded between the second-cut and dead-smooth 
flies. Square flle, a file which is square in its transverse 
section. It is usually tapering, with one smooth side. 
Superfine flle. Same as dead-smooth file. Three- 
square file, the ordinary tapering hand-saw flle, of tri- 
angular cross-section. Also called trianyular file. E.H. 
Knight. To bite or gnaw a flle, to attempt in anger or 
ignorance something that is entirely impracticable or that 
merely injures one's self: in allusion to the fable of the 
serpent which attempted to bite a file. Triangular flle. 
Same as three-square file. Verge-file, a flneflTe with one 
smooth side : formerly used by watchmakers when work- 
ing on the verge of the old vertical escapement. E. H. 
Knifjht. Wardlng-file, a flat flle having a constant 
thickness, and cut only upon the edges : used in filing the 
ward-notches in keys. E. II. Knight. Watch-pinion 
flle. Same as banking-file. 
file 1 (fil), v. t. ; pret. and pp. filed, ppr. filing. [< 
ME. filcn = D. vijlen = 1,G.filen = OHG.fildn, 
MHG.vile,G.feile = Sw. fila = Dan../?fe = 
Icel. i7iefci,file; fromthenoun.] 1. Toruborcut 
with a file, or as if with a file ; render smooth, 
sharp, even, etc., by rubbing with a file; re- 
move with a file : as, to file a saw ; to file off a 
tooth. 
I would have fled keys off that hung in chains. 
Shak., W. T., iv. 3. 
The fetters of my thraldom are Jil'd off, 
And I at liberty to right myself. 
Fletcher (and another), Elder Brother, v. 1. 
A smith, a smith, right speedilie, 
To Jile the irons frae my dear brither. 
Archie of Ca'field (Child's Ballads, VI. <tt). 
file 
The iron teeth of confinement and privation had been 
slowly filing him down. Dickens, Pickwick, xlii. 
2. Figuratively, to smooth ; polish ; correct ; 
improve. 
The flue and jllnl phrases "f Ooem 
Lyly, Euphues, Aunt, of Wit, p. !.';>. 
Precious phrase by all the Mnsrs ji/eit. 
Shak., Sonnets, Ixxxv. 
File your tongue with a little more courtesy. Scott. 
ftle-'t (fil), . t. [< ME. filen, fyleii, < AS. d-fyln,i. 
.'/' '-/'/'"", l>e-fylan, make foul, foul, befoul, defile 
(= OHG. fulan); cf. AS.fulian, d-fulian, intr., 
become foul, (ful, foul. Cf. befoul, defoufl, de- 
file 1 , and see foul.'] To defile; pollute; con- 
taminate; degrade. 
The world has many with vanite file,!. 
Iliun/iole, Prick of Conscience, 1. 119H. 
Now Arthur-Seat shall be my bed, 
The sheets shall ne'er Ije Jh/1'd by me. 
Waly, Waly, but Love be Bonny (Child's Ballads, IV. 133). 
For Banquo's issue have I fil'd my mind. 
Shak., Macbeth, iii. 1. 
file 3 (fil), H. [<OF. andF./ce, f., a file, rank, row, 
fil, m., a thread, string, wire, edge, etc., = Pr. 
Pg. It. flla, f ., = Sp.fila and hila, f., a row, line ; 
Sp. filo and Itilo, m., = Pg. It. filo, m., thread, 
string, wire, etc. ; < L. filum, nout., a thread, 
string, cord, filament, ML. fila, f., a string or 
series.] 1. A thread, string, or line; particu- 
larly, a line or wire on which papers are strung 
in due order for preservation and reference. 
Either it is there, or it is upon a file, with the duke's 
other letters, in ray tent. Shak., All's Well, iv. 3. 
All the afternoon and night, looking over and tearing 
and burning all the unnecessary letters which I have had 
upon my Jile for four or five years backward. 
I'ejnjs, Diary, III. 26. 
2. The whole number of papers thus arranged ; 
hence, a collection of papers arranged accord- 
ing to date or subject for the sake of ready ref- 
erence; also, a bundle of papers tied together 
with the title of each indorsed : as, a file of 
newspapers ; a file of writs. 3. A roll, list, or 
catalogue. 
Our present musters grow upon the (fie 
To flve-and-twenty thousand men of choice. 
Shak., 2 Hen. IV., i. 3. 
You may meet, 
In person of a merchant, with a soul 
As resolute and free, and all ways worthy, 
As else in any /'/ of mankind. 
Fletcher, Beggars' Bush, ii. 8. 
4. A docket; a calendar. [Rare.] 
Causes unjudg'd disgrace the loaded File; 
And sleeping Laws the King's Neglect revile. 
Prior, Solomon, ii. 
5. A row of persons or things arranged one be- 
hind another; tnilit., a row of soldiers forming 
a line from front to rear ; the number of men 
constituting the depth of a battalion or squad- 
ron. When a battalion is formed in two ranks, a flle of 
soldiers means two men. The front of a flle is one man ; 
its depth may he any munlier of men. 
So saying, on he led his radiant files, 
Dazzling the moon. Milton, P. L., iv. 797. 
A File of Men, Bumpkin, is six Men. 
Steele, Grief A-la-Mode, v. 1. 
Here files of pins extend their shining rows. 
Pope, R. of the L., i. 137. 
Soon after three files of soldiers entered. Scott. 
6f. Regular succession of thought or narration ; 
uniform tenor; thread of discourse. 
And, were it not ill fitting for this file 
To sing of hilles and woods mongst warres and Knights, 
I would abate the sternenesse of my stile. 
Spenser, F. Q..VII. vi. 37. 
Let me resume the Jile of my narration. Sir II. Wotton. 
7. One of the lines of squares on a chess-board 
running directly from player to player : opposed 
to rank. See chess 1 . 8. "Same as rank and file. 
See phrase below. [Rare.] 
Philip dismissed all those of the common file, on the 
condition that they should not hear arms for six months 
against the Spaniards. Prescott, Hist. Philip II. 
9. In some parts of the United States, a cloth 
used in cleaningorwipiuga floor. Also file-cloth. 
10. In her., same as label. Flank file, the flle on 
the extreme right or left of any body of troops. Indian 
flle. Same as single file. On flle, placed on a flle, or in 
orderly arrangement 'for preservation ; more specifically, 
in law, placed among the papers constituting the records 
of a court, and purporting to be there as a part of such 
records. Rani and flle. (a) Milit., the lines of soldiers 
from side to side and from front to back : all common sol- 
diers under the rank of sergeant, or sometimes all below the 
non-commissioned staff. Hence (b) The general body of 
any party or society, as distinguished from the leaders. 
Single file, an arrangement of a body of persons or objects 
in a single line, one behind another : as, to move or march 
in ninnlefile. Also called Indian file, because the Ameri- 
can Indians usually move in this order. 
file 3 (fil), v. ', pret. and pp. filed, ppT.filinff. [= 
F. flier, file off ; fromthenoun.] I. trans. 1. 
