English Explanatory Dictionary

rail

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing.
  2. The metal bar forming part of the track for a railroad.
  3. A railroad; a railway, as a means of transportation.
  4. A conductor maintained at a fixed electrical potential relative to ground, to which other circuit components are connected.
  5. A horizontal piece of wood that serves to separate sections of a door or window.
  6. One of the lengthwise edges of a surfboard.
  7. A vertical section on one side of a web page.
  8. A large line (portion or serving of a powdery illegal drug).
  9. Each of two vertical side bars supporting the rungs of a ladder.
  10. The raised edge of the game board.
verb
  1. To travel by railway.
  2. To place on a track.
  3. To enclose with rails or a railing.
  4. To range in a line.
  5. To sexually penetrate in a rough manner.
  6. To snort a line of powdered drugs.
noun
  1. Any of several birds in the family Rallidae.
verb
  1. To complain violently (against, about).
noun
  1. An item of clothing; a cloak or other garment; a dress.
  2. Specifically, a woman's headscarf or neckerchief.
verb
  1. To gush; to flow.
  2. To blow.

Pronunciation

rāl /ɹeɪ(ə)l/ [ɹeɪ(ə)ɫ] en-us-rail.ogg /reɪl/ /reːl/ /raɪl/

Word forms

rail rails railing railed rayle

Etymology

From Middle English rail, rayl, *reȝel, *reȝol (found in reȝolsticke (“a ruler”)), partly from Old English regol (“a ruler, straight bar”) and partly from Old French reille; both from Latin regula (“rule, bar”), from regō (“to rule, to guide, to govern”); see regular. Doublet of regal, regula, rigol, and rule.

Synonyms

stile stringer fulminate inveigh rail out

Related words

ralline corncrake

Derived words

anti-rail antirail bedrail bow rail breastrail bullhead rail bullrail by rail cant rail cantrail chair rail check rail cograil common rail commuter rail conductor rail crossrail dado rail edge rail enrail false rail fife-rail flanged T rail flat rail fly rail footrail fourth rail frame rail framerail grab rail grabrail ground rail guardrail guiderail guide rail handrail hanging rail hatrail headrail heavy rail higher-speed rail high-speed rail hi-rail hitching rail hitchrail hollow rail hot rail hydrail inrail interrail K-rail landrail light rail live rail loot rail midrail monkey rail monorail motorail Network Rail
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