circular file
noun
Forms circular files
- noun (idiomatic, humorous) The trash container; the wastebasket. “He was completely underqualified for the job, so I put his resume directly into the circular file.”
Synonyms
round file circular filing cabinet file 13 bin garbage can garbage pail trash bin trash can trashbin trashcan waste bin wastebin wastepaper basket waste-paper basket wastebasket waste basket
Etymology
In reference to the wastebasket's cylindrical shape, and the act of throwing things away rather than filing them in cabinets.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “circular file”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details