Filing means organizing papers or information by putting them in specific places so you can find them later. When your teacher keeps student work in folders arranged alphabetically, or when a librarian puts returned books back in their proper spots on the shelves, they're filing.

In offices and schools, people file documents in folders inside cabinets called filing cabinets, with each folder labeled so papers don't get lost in random piles. A doctor's office files patient records, a lawyer files legal documents, and your school files your report cards and attendance records. Good filing systems help people locate what they need quickly: instead of searching through hundreds of loose papers, you can go straight to the right folder.

The word also has a legal meaning. When someone files a lawsuit, they're officially submitting legal papers to a court. Politicians file to run for office by turning in the required forms. In these cases, filing means formally registering or recording something with an official organization.

People also file their fingernails, using a small tool called a nail file to smooth rough edges, but that meaning is different from filing documents or legal forms.