Definition of RAIL

rail

Meanings

Plural: rails

Noun

  • a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
  • short for railway
    • "he traveled by rail"
    • "he was concerned with rail safety"
  • a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll
  • a horizontal bar (usually of wood or metal)
  • any of numerous widely distributed small wading birds of the family Rallidae having short wings and very long toes for running on soft mud
  • A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing.
  • The metal bar forming part of the track for a railroad.
  • A railroad; a railway, as a means of transportation.
  • A conductor maintained at a fixed electrical potential relative to ground, to which other circuit components are connected.
  • A horizontal piece of wood that serves to separate sections of a door or window.
  • One of the lengthwise edges of a surfboard.
  • A vertical section on one side of a web page.
  • A large line (portion or serving of a powdery illegal drug).
  • Each of two vertical side bars supporting the rungs of a ladder.
  • The raised edge of the game board.
  • Any of several birds in the family Rallidae.
  • An item of clothing; a cloak or other garment; a dress.
  • Specifically, a woman's headscarf or neckerchief.

Verb

  • complain bitterly
  • enclose with rails
    • "rail in the old graves"
  • provide with rails
    • "The yard was railed"
  • separate with a railing
    • "rail off the crowds from the Presidential palace"
  • convey (goods etc.) by rails
    • "fresh fruit are railed from Italy to Belgium"
  • travel by rail or train
    • "They railed from Rome to Venice"
  • lay with rails
    • "hundreds of miles were railed out here"
  • fish with a handline over the rails of a boat
    • "They are railing for fresh fish"
  • spread negative information about
  • criticize severely
    • "She railed against the bad social policies"
  • To travel by railway.
  • To place on a track.
  • To enclose with rails or a railing.
  • To range in a line.
  • To sexually penetrate in a rough manner.
  • To snort a line of powdered drugs.
  • To complain violently (against, about).
  • To gush; to flow.
  • To blow.

Origin / 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.

Scrabble Score: 4

rail is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
rail is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
rail is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 5

rail is a valid Words With Friends word