# circular file

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/circular-file
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The trash container; the wastebasket.

## Examples

- I put those old papers in the circular file.
- My boss smiled and dropped my proposal straight into the circular file.
- The editor glanced at the manuscript for ten seconds, then with a sigh consigned it to the circular file, another dream dashed.

## Origin

The term originates as a facetious reference to the wastebasket's cylindrical shape. It contrasts the act of disposing of a document with the act of filing it in a traditional cabinet, suggesting that while the item has been filed, its new location is merely a bin.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.