Filcher

A thief; a pilferer; one who filches, or commits a petty theft. Filch'ingly, adv . By petty larceny; pilferingly. File, n. [Fr., from fil ; Lat. filum .] A thread, string, or line, particularly, a line or wire on which documents or papers are strung for security; the whole number of papers strung on a line or wire; a bundle of papers tied together, with the title of each indorsed; as, a letter file, a file of newspapers. "From Ales a random recipe they take." - Dryden. -A catalogue; a roll; a list; a roster. "Our present musters grow upon the Ale." - Shaks. ( Mil .) The term applied to two soldiers standing one before the other, or conjointly to any soldier in the front rank and the one who stands directly behind him in the rear rank, when the company is drawn up in line. A body of soldiers is often spoken of as consisting of so many rank - and - file ; this includes the privates and the non-commi ioned officers except the sergeants. File marching is when a company is drawn up in line, and the order given to face to the right or left, and march in that direction. Each front-rank man and his rear-rank man on his right or left, as the case may be, still compose a file. File-marching is a difficult movement for recruits, unle the leading file marches steadily, and takes its proper length of space, and each file behind takes care to "lock up," or keep closely in the rear of the file immediately before it. Men marching singly in line, one after another, are said to be marching in single or Indian F. On file, preserved for reference or security, in collected order and condition; as, newspapers are on file at the office. v. a. To fasten, as papers, on a line or wire for preservation. -To arrange or insert in a body or bundle, as documents, indorsing the title of contents on each; as, to file letters. -To present or exhibit officially, or for trial; as, to file a petition, a schedule, . -v.n. To march in a file or line, as troops, not abreast, but one after another; as, to proceed in Indian file . (Generally preceding off .) "We drew up in good order, and filed off ." - Spectator. File'-fish, n. ( Zool .) See BALISTIDE. File'-leader, n. ( Mil .) The leading soldier of a file; one who marches in front.