file 13

noun

A trash can, wastepaper basket.

“Just put it in file 13. It doesn't warrant a response.”

Similar
circular fileround filecircular filing cabinetbingarbage cangarbage pailtrash bintrash can
First used 1940s
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Meanings

nounfile 13 (uncountable)
  1. USdatedslanguncountablegovernmentA trash can, wastepaper basket.First known use 1940s

    Just put it in file 13. It doesn't warrant a response.

    1 more example

    If not, it’s not going to be of value to you or anyone else to put it in print after the event has taken place. Therefore it will be filed in file 13, and just in case you’re not familiar with this file, the army calls it the “waste-basket”.

    1957, Cy Linder, “Piston Poppin’”, in American Motorcycling, page 34

    Synonyms: circular file, round file, circular filing cabinet, bin, garbage can, garbage pail, trash bin, trash can

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA trash can, wastepaper basket.

Similar
circular fileround filecircular filing cabinetbingarbage cangarbage pailtrash bintrash cantrashbintrashcanwaste binwastebin
Also see
circular file
Cite this entry
APA

file 13. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/file%2013

MLA

“file 13.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/file%2013. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “file 13,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/file%2013.

Source: file 13 on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.