filecard: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical
Quick answer
What does “filecard” mean?
A rigid, flat implement with fine wires or serrated metal teeth, used for cleaning, sharpening, or shaping a file (the cutting tool).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rigid, flat implement with fine wires or serrated metal teeth, used for cleaning, sharpening, or shaping a file (the cutting tool).
A card used for indexing records in a filing system (especially a physical card in a card index), and less commonly, a card used for holding a computer file (obsolete).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In both dialects, the tool meaning is identical and equally rare. The 'index card' meaning is slightly more plausible in historical AmE office contexts, but now archaic.
Connotations
Connotes manual tool maintenance or obsolete office systems. No positive or negative affect.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects, found almost exclusively in technical manuals or historical texts.
Grammar
How to Use “filecard” in a Sentence
[Subject] used a filecard to clean the file.The [Tool] is known as a filecard.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “filecard” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The craftsman will filecard the new saw to remove burrs.
American English
- He filecarded the metal file after each major use.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used in modern business contexts.
Academic
May appear in historical studies of technology or craft.
Everyday
Unlikely to be encountered.
Technical
Used in metalworking, woodworking, and tool maintenance manuals.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “filecard”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “filecard”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “filecard”
- Confusing it with 'index card' or 'filing card'. Using it to refer to a digital file or SD card. Assuming it's a common word.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's a very low-frequency, specialized term mostly found in technical contexts related to tool maintenance.
Historically and rarely, yes, but 'index card' or 'filing card' are vastly more common for that meaning.
They are essentially synonyms, though 'file brush' might imply bristles, while a filecard is typically a flat metal card with wire teeth.
You draw it across the grooves of a metal file (perpendicular or at an angle) to remove lodged material (swarf) that clogs the file's cutting teeth.
A rigid, flat implement with fine wires or serrated metal teeth, used for cleaning, sharpening, or shaping a file (the cutting tool).
Filecard is usually technical in register.
Filecard: in British English it is pronounced ˈfaɪlkɑːd, and in American English it is pronounced ˈfaɪlkɑːrd. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A FILE needs a CARD (the filecard) to clean its 'teeth', just like you need a card (brush) to clean your teeth.
Conceptual Metaphor
TOOL MAINTENANCE IS HYGIENE (cleaning the file's 'teeth').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a 'filecard'?