filed, ppl. a.
(faɪld)
[f. file v.1 + -ed1.]
In senses of the vb.: chiefly fig. of speech, etc.: Polished, smooth, neatly finished off or elaborated; fine (now rare). Also with defining word prefixed as fair-filed, true-filed adjs.
| c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 477 Thy tong is fayre fyled. 1548–77 Vicary Anat. Pref. Verse, That fyled phrase. 1570 B. Googe Pop. Kingd. ii. 22 b, Their eloquence, and filed tongue. 1599 A. M. tr. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physicke 379/2 Take filed Iron. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 328 Wee goe not about with filed speech and rich rewards to circumvent thee. 1623 B. Jonson Pref. Verses in 1st Fo. Shaks., In his well torned, and true-filed lines. 1823 Scott Quentin D. xxx, Thou hast a better filed tongue than either Crèvecœur or I. 1888 Hasluck Mech. Workshop Handybk. 87 With regard to finishing filed work. 1892 Nation 4 Aug. 88/3 Mr. Aldrich's filed lines..show his even power. |