rail

¹ American  

[reyl] / reɪl /

noun

1. a bar of wood or metal fixed horizontally for any of various purposes, as for a support, barrier, fence, or railing.

2. a fence; railing.

3. one of two fences marking the inside and outside boundaries of a racetrack.

4. one of a pair of steel bars that provide the running surfaces for the wheels of locomotives and railroad cars.

5. the railroad as a means of transportation.

   to travel by rail.

6. rails, stocks or bonds of railroad companies.

7. Nautical. a horizontal member capping a bulwark.

8. Carpentry, Furniture. any of various horizontal members framing panels or the like, as in a system of paneling, paneled door, window sash, or chest of drawers.

9. Slang. a line of cocaine crystals or powder for inhaling through the nose.

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verb (used with object)

1. to furnish or enclose with a rail or rails.

rail ² American  

[reyl] / reɪl /

verb (used without object)

1. to utter bitter complaint or vehement denunciation (often followed by at oragainst ).

   to rail at fate.

   Synonyms:

   revile, rant, castigate, inveigh, fulminate

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verb (used with object)

1. to bring, force, etc., by railing.

rail ³ American  

[reyl] / reɪl /

noun

1. any of numerous birds of the family Rallidae, that have short wings, a narrow body, long toes, and a harsh cry and inhabit grasslands, forests, and marshes in most parts of the world.

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rail ¹ British  

/ reɪl /

noun

1. a horizontal bar of wood, metal, etc, supported by vertical posts, functioning as a fence, barrier, handrail, etc

2. a horizontal bar fixed to a wall on which to hang things

   a picture rail

3. a horizontal framing member in a door or piece of panelling Compare stile 2

4. short for railing

5. one of a pair of parallel bars laid on a prepared track, roadway, etc, that serve as a guide and running surface for the wheels of a railway train, tramcar, etc

6. 1. short for railway

   2. ( as modifier )

      rail transport

7. nautical a trim for finishing the top of a bulwark

8. 1. into or in a state of dysfunction or disorder

   2. eccentric or mad

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verb

1. to provide with a rail or railings

2. to fence (an area) with rails

rail ² British  

/ reɪl /

verb

1. (intr; foll by at or against) to complain bitterly or vehemently

   to rail against fate

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rail ³ British  

/ reɪl /

noun

1. any of various small wading birds of the genus Rallus and related genera: family Rallidae , order Gruiformes (cranes, etc). They have short wings, long legs, and dark plumage

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rail Idioms  

1. see off the rails; thin as a rail; third rail.

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Other Word Forms

• railer noun
• railingly adverb
• railless adjective
• raillike adjective

Etymology

Origin of rail¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English raile, rail(le), from Old French raille, reille, Anglo-French raila, reyla “(horizontal) bar, beam,” from Latin rēgula “bar, straight piece of wood”; regula

Origin of rail²

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English railen, from Middle French railler “to mock, deride,” from Provençal ralhar “to babble, chatter,” from Vulgar Latin ragulāre (unattested), derivative of Late Latin ragere “to bray”

Origin of rail³

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English rale, rail, from Middle French raale, raille, from Old French rasle, noun derivative of râler, racler, from Vulgar Latin rāsiculāre (unattested), frequentative of Latin rādere (past participle rāsus ) “to scratch”

Example Sentences

While millions will travel by rail, earlier last-train times mean many may take to the road, making them even more congested.

From BBC

The rail operator said it has changed the wording on the website, and remains committed to offering great value for money.

From BBC

According to Tarek Goueili, head of the National Authority for Tunnels, Egypt's revamped rail network will carry 15 million tonnes of cargo per year -- 3 percent of last year's Suez Canal transit volume.

From Barron's

Some people managed to climb over to the ferry, while others swam for it, hung onto the rails and got pulled up by others.

From BBC

The fan leaned over the rail to say something and Metcalf reached up, grabbed him by the shirt or wig with his right hand before turning and walking away.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• castigate
• complain
• fume
• inveigh
• rant
• scold
• thunder