Allons ... un petit verre de fil en quatre, histoire de se velouter et de se rebomber le torse.—Th. Gautier.
[Filer] (thieves’), to steal. See [Grinchir]. Filer la comète, or la sorgue, to sleep in the open air; —— le luctrème, to open a door by means of a picklock, “to screw;” —— une pelure, to steal a coat; —— un sinve, to dog a man, “to nose;” —— une condition, to watch a house and get acquainted with the ins and outs in view of a burglary.
La condition était filée d’avance.
Le rigolo eut bientôt cassé tout!
Du gai plaisir, ils avaient l’espérance,
Quand on est pègre on peut passer partout.
From a song composed by Clément, a burglar (quoted by Pierre Delcourt, Paris Voleur, 1886). This poet of the “family men” was indiscreet enough, some days after the burglary described, to sing his production at a wine-shop frequented by thieves, and, unfortunately, by detectives also, with the result that he was sent over the water and given leisure time to commune with the Muses. (Sailors’ and popular) Filer son nœud, or son câble, to go away; to run away, “to cut the cable and run before the wind.” See [Patatrot]. Filer un nœud, to spin a yarn. File ton nœud, go on with your story or your discourse, “pay away.” With regard to the latter expression the Slang Dictionary says:—
Pay-away ... from the nautical phrase pay-away, meaning to allow a rope to run out of a vessel. When the hearer considers the story quite long enough, he, carrying out the same metaphor, exclaims, “hold on!”
(General) Filer quelqu’un, to follow one stealthily so as to watch his movements; (popular) —— la mousse, to ease oneself. See [Mouscailler]. Filer le Plato, to love in a platonic manner; —— une poussée, to hustle, “to ramp;” —— des coups de tronche, to butt at one’s adversary with the head; —— une ratisse, to thrash, “to tan.” See [Voie]. (Theatrical) Filer une scène, to skilfully bring a scene to its climax; (card-sharpers’) —— la carte, to dexterously substitute a card for another, to “slip” a card.
Une fois le saut de coupe fait, le grec a le soin d’y glisser une carte large, point de repère marquant l’endroit où il doit faire sauter la coupe au mieux de ses intérêts... Il file la carte, c’est à dire il change une carte pour une autre.—Mémoires de Monsieur Claude.