railroad

(rālrōd′)

noun

  1. a road laid with parallel steel rails along which cars carrying passengers or freight are drawn by locomotives
  2. a complete system of such roads, including land, rolling stock, stations, etc.
  3. the persons or corporation owning and managing such a system

transitive verb

  1. ☆ to transport by railroad
  2. Informal to rush through quickly, esp. so quickly as to prevent careful consideration: to railroad a bill through Congress
  3. Slang to cause to go to prison on a trumped-up charge or with too hasty a trial

intransitive verb

☆ to work on a railroad

Related Forms:

See railroad in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. A road composed of parallel steel rails supported by ties and providing a track for locomotive-drawn trains or other wheeled vehicles.
  2. A system of railroad track, together with the land, stations, rolling stock, and other related property under one management.
verb rail·road·ed, rail·road·ing, rail·roads
verb, transitive
  1. To transport by railroad.
  2. To supply (an area) with railroads.
  3. Informal
    a. To rush or push (something) through quickly in order to prevent careful consideration and possible criticism or obstruction: railroad a special-interest bill through Congress.
    b. To convict (an accused person) without a fair trial or on trumped-up charges.
verb, intransitive
To work for a railroad company.

Related Forms:

  • railˈroadˌer noun

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