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rail¹ Definition

rail (rāl)

noun

  1. a bar of wood, metal, etc. placed horizontally between upright posts to serve as a barrier or support
  2. a fence or railing; specif., the fence surrounding the infield of a racetrack
  3. any of a series of parallel metal bars laid upon crossties or in the ground to make a track for railroad cars, streetcars, etc.
  4. a railroad or railway as a means of transportation to travel by rail
  5. a horizontal piece of wood separating the panels in doors or wainscoting
  6. the rim of a billiard table
  7. 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

  1. (to go) off the proper course
  2. (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

railer noun

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.

  1. 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.

  2. A track; often plural

    railway, monorail, railroad track; see railroad, track 1.

go off the rails*

go crazy, run amok, become insane; see rage 3.

ride on a rail

drive away, exile, run out of town; see banish 1.

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.

Browse dictionary entries near rail

  1. raider
  2. raid
  3. rah-rah
  4. rah
  5. ragwort
  6. ragweed
  7. Ragusa
  8. ragtop
  9. ragtime
  10. ragtag
  1. rail at
  2. rail-splitter
  3. railbird
  4. railhead
  5. railing
  6. raillery
  7. railroad
  8. railroad flat
  9. railroading
  10. railway