rail¹ Definition
rail (rāl)
noun
- a bar of wood, metal, etc. placed horizontally between upright posts to serve as a barrier or support
- a fence or railing; specif., the fence surrounding the infield of a racetrack
- any of a series of parallel metal bars laid upon crossties or in the ground to make a track for railroad cars, streetcars, etc.
- a railroad or railway as a means of transportation to travel by rail
- a horizontal piece of wood separating the panels in doors or wainscoting
- the rim of a billiard table
- Naut. a narrow, wooden or metal piece forming the top of a ship's bulwarks
Etymology: ME raile < OFr reille < L regula, rule
transitive verb
to supply with rails or a railing; fence
adjective
of or pertaining to a railway or railroad
rail¹ Idioms
(go) off the rails
- (to go) off the proper course
- (to become) insane
ride on a rail
☆to place on a rail and carry out of the community: extralegal punishment in which the victim was usually tarred and feathered beforehand
rail² Definition
rail (rāl)
intransitive verb
to speak bitterly or reproachfully; complain violently: with against, at, or about
Etymology: ME raylen < MFr < railler < Prov ralhar < VL *ragulare, to bray < LL ragere, to bellow
rail² Related Forms
rail³ Definition
rail (rāl)
noun pl. rails or rail
any of a number of gruiform marsh birds (family Rallidae), characterized by short wings and tail, long toes, and a harsh cry
Etymology: ME rayle < MFr raale < raaler, to screech, rattle < VL *rasclare, to grate: orig. echoic
rail Synonyms
rail
n.
A polelike structure
bar, post, railing, barrier, picket, rail fence, siding, balustrade, banister, paling, rest, handrail, guardrail, grab bar, brass rail; see also bar 1, fence 1.A track; often plural
go off the rails*
ride on a rail
rail Usage Examples
Converse of object
- hang: Inside each is a full height hanging rail at the top.
- electrify: There is the additional hazard of the electrified third rail on the Merseyrail Electrics network and of overhead power lines.
- grind: On that day, a workman was engaged in cutting and grinding the aft top-deck guard rails and stanchions of the Northern Challenger.
Adjective modifier
- heated: Newly fitted large walk-in shower, heated towel rail, wash hand basin, WC.
- high-speed: Only one air route ( Gatwick - Glasgow ) has a similar noise burden to high-speed rail.
- mainline: By mainline rail: Westminster Central Hall is within easy walking distance of Victoria, Charing Cross and Waterloo mainline stations.
- flightless: More than a quarter of all the world's 60-odd living species of rail are flightless, and all flightless rails live on islands.
- stern: He seized a boathook and hobbled down the deck toward Quilter, who grimaced at him from his handhold on the stern rail.
Modifies a noun
- freight: Rail freight has grown by more than 50 % .
- network: There would be a shift from money being spent on road building to money being spent on the rail network.
- fare: Meanwhile, regulated rail fares are to rise by RPI plus 1 per cent for at least the next three years.
- station: The Main line rail station is only 300 yards away.
- franchise: Proposal: A two - year extension of the Central Trains passenger rail franchise was made on 8 July 2003.
- passenger: Rail passengers travel twenty five billion miles every year.
Noun used with modifier
- towel: Newly fitted large walk-in shower, heated towel rail, wash hand basin, WC.
- dado: This paint effect divides the wall at dado rail height.
- grab: Am I eligible for lever taps, lowering a cistern or having a grab rail of some sort fitted in my home?
- altar: At the east end of the north aisle is a chapel separated from it by wrought iron altar rails.
- commuter: The US still has many busy and expanding commuter rail networks around major cities, and enormous amounts of long-distance bulk rail freight.
- communion: Above: the thrust stage, retaining the old communion rails.
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