rail

RAYL/ɹeɪl/

Pluralrails (some meanings)

Verbrails, railing, railed

22 meanings of rail

Practice

1
train transportnoununcountable
The train system seen as a way of traveling from place to place.
Many commuters prefer rail over driving during rush hour.
Goods can be shipped quickly by rail across the country.
UsageSay by rail: goods go by rail.
Similartrain
2
barrier barnouncountable
A bar fixed across or between posts that you can hold onto or that keeps people back.
Like a long bar you can grab so you don't fall.
She held tightly to the rail as she climbed the stairs.
A wooden rail ran along the edge of the porch.
UsageSay hold on to the rail.
Similarbar, barrier, balustrade
3
metal tracknouncountable
One of the long metal bars that train wheels roll along.
Like the metal track a toy train rolls along.
Workers replaced a cracked rail on the main line.
The train's wheels squealed against the rail on the sharp curve.
UsageGo off the rails also means go wrong.
4
complain angrilyverbintransitive
To complain loudly and angrily about something over and over.
Like shouting the same angry complaint again and again.
Protesters rail against the new tax every chance they get.
He would often rail about the long hours at work.
UsageSay rail against something you think is wrong.
Similarinveigh, fulminate
Oppositepraise, applaud
Note
5
electronicsnouncountable
A wire or strip kept at a steady voltage that other parts of a circuit connect to.
Like a steady water pipe that other smaller pipes branch off from.
The chip draws its power from the positive rail.
Engineers checked the voltage on the ground rail.
Note

Less common meanings

6
ladder sidenouncountable
One of the two long side bars of a ladder that hold the steps.
Like one of the two long sides of a ladder that the steps join.
She gripped both rails as she climbed the ladder.
One rail of the old ladder had cracked near the top.
Similarstile, stringer
Note
7
fence inverbtransitive
To put a fence of bars around something.
Like putting a fence of bars around a yard.
They railed off the pond so the kids could not fall in.
The park plans to rail in the old well to keep people safe.
UsageSay rail off an area.
Similarfence, enclose
Note
8
marsh birdnouncountable
A shy marsh bird with long toes that hides in tall grass near water.
Like a shy bird that hides in tall grass by the water.
A rail darted between the reeds at the water's edge.
We spotted a rail picking through the mud near the pond.
Note
9
door framenouncountable
A flat piece of wood that runs across a door or window to divide it into parts.
Like the flat bar across a window that splits the glass.
The bottom rail of the door had started to rot.
He sanded the rail between the two window panes.
10
drug linenounslangcountable
A long line of powdered drugs set out to be sniffed up the nose.
Like a thin line of salt poured out straight on a table.
He chopped out a thick rail on the table.
They split a rail between them at the party.
Similarline
Note
11
snort drugsverbslangtransitive
To sniff a line of powdered drugs up the nose.
Some people rail cocaine straight off the table.
He railed two lines before the show.
Similarsnort
Note
12
put on trackverbtransitive
To put a train car onto its track.
Note
13
rough sexverbslangvulgartransitive
To have sex with someone in a hard, rough way.
He bragged that he railed her in the back of the car.
Guys online boast that they rail their partners for hours.
Similarpound, bang
14
game board edgenouncountable
The raised edge around a game board that stops pieces from falling off.
Like the edge around a pool table that keeps the balls from rolling off.
The dice bounced off the rail and landed flat.
He stacked his checkers neatly against the rail.
Note
15
nounobsolete
A piece of clothing, such as a cloak or dress.
Note
16
nounobsolete
A woman's headscarf or neck cloth.
A course hempen raile about her shoulders.
1592, Thomas Nashe, Pierce PennilessHere, raile means a scarf worn around the neck and shoulders.
Note
17
verbobsolete
To flow or pour out quickly.
his breste and his brayle was bloodé – and hit rayled all over the see.
1470, Thomas Malory, “Capitulum iv”Here, rayled means gushed or flowed out.
Note
18
verbobsolete
To blow, as the wind does.
Note
19
verbrare
To go somewhere by train.
20
noun
The long side edge of a surfboard.
21
noun
A tall, narrow strip along the left or right edge of a web page.
22
verbobsolete
To set things out in a straight line.
They were brought to London all railed in ropes, like a team of horses in a cart.
1622, Francis, Lord Verulam

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of rail apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–3, 5–7, 9–14

From Latin "regula" meaning "rule" or "bar", which came into English through both Old English and Old French.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Rail ultimately derives from Latin regula, meaning rule or bar. en.wiktionary.org
The Latin source reached English through both Old English and Old French. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 8

From French "râle", the name of a bird, likely from a Latin word meaning "to scrape", after its harsh cry.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

The bird name rail comes from French râle. en.wikipedia.org
French râle is a bird name. en.wiktionary.org
The name has a proposed ancestry in a Latin word meaning to scrape. en.wikipedia.org
The name refers to the bird's harsh cry. fr.wiktionary.org

Meaning 4

From Middle French "railler".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

The verb rail derives from Middle French railler. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 15–16

From Old English "hræġl", meaning "garment" or "robe".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Rail derives from Old English hræġl, meaning garment or robe. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 17–18

Probably from Anglo-Norman "raier" and Middle French "raier".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Rail probably derives from Anglo-Norman raier and Middle French raier. en.wiktionary.org