single file

noun

1. a line of persons or things arranged one behind the other; Indian file.

single file

noun

1. a line of persons, animals, or things ranged one behind the other, either stationary or moving

Word History and Origins

Origin of single file¹

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

Drone footage from the weekend showed long lines of men and boys standing or walking in single file.

From Salon

Compared to cells moving in a single file, clusters were much slower.

From Science Daily

They lined up single file against the brush, in a dusty clearing steps from Highway 94, and waited for Border Patrol agents to pick them up.

From Los Angeles Times

So, when exhausted and inexperienced climbers inevitably struggle there, everybody else waits in a single file, hanging onto a fixed rope, while the bottled oxygen they need to survive at that altitude slowly drains away.

From Los Angeles Times

After they enter in a single file, they branch off in different directions and head into tunnels where each person has a designated area to drill.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• queue