Sorry for the loose language. Translate "deleted" as "freed": > LSOF lists open files so the file cannot be freed because it is open. > It has been marked for deletion/unlinked/uncataloged/released (terminology varies by Operating System) and will be freed by the Operating System when it is closed. Note that not only Unix behaves in this fashion. Many Operating Systems behave in this fashion including Linux, Windows, OS/2, MVS, OS/VS and DOS/VS to name but a few.