DictionaryfileSingle line
noun / verb

file

A line of people or things arranged one behind another.

The hikers move in single file along the narrow ridge.

Etymology

French file means a line or row and is related to a word for thread. The arrangement pictures people or objects extending in a single thin line.

More examples

  • Guests filed into the hall after the doors opened.
  • A file of soldiers crossed the courtyard.
  • The children have filed past the display one at a time.

Forms

file · files · filed · filing

Similar words

column
A formation that can be broader than one person across.
line
The ordinary broader term, not necessarily one behind another.