General
file 13
What does file 13 mean?
A humorous bureaucratic-sounding name for the wastebasket, where unwanted paperwork is 'filed.'
"That memo went straight into File 13."
Origin
U.S. military slang.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'File 13' mean?
It is a joking name for the trash can — where unwanted paperwork gets 'filed.'
How is it used?
Usually to describe throwing something away, as in 'that memo went straight into File 13.'
Where does it come from?
It is U.S. military slang that mocks bureaucratic filing systems by treating the wastebasket as just another file.
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