railroad
Pluralrailroads
Verbrailroads, railroading, railroaded
Pluralrailroads
Formsrailroads, railroading, railroaded
- 1The system of trains and metal tracks used to move people and goods from place to place.
Like a network of roads, but built for trains instead of cars.
The railroad connects dozens of small towns across the state.
We took the railroad all the way to the coast.
Similarrailway
- 2
- 3To rush a decision or law through quickly so people cannot stop it.
Like pushing something through so fast that no one has time to say no.
The leaders railroaded the new law through in a single day.
They railroad every bill they like past the committee.
Similarforce, push, rush, ram, steamroller
Oppositestall, delay, obstruct
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- 6A company or property that owns and runs one or more train tracks and the things that go with them.
Like a business that owns the road and the trucks on it: only with trains.
The railroad was bought by a larger company last year.
She owns shares in a small railroad out west.
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- 7To pressure someone into accepting an unfair deal.
Like being pushed so hard you say yes just to make it stop.
The landlord railroaded the tenants into signing a bad lease.
Big buyers railroad small sellers into low prices.
Similarbully, coerce, force, pressure, steamroller
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- 8To have a job working for a train company.
My father railroaded for forty years before he retired.
Three men in our family still railroad, fixing tracks and driving freight trains.
- 9
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- 11A decision or process rushed through without proper thought or care.
Like a train that won't stop, so no one can get off or slow it down.
The meeting felt like a railroad: decided before anyone could speak.
Critics called the new rule a railroad with no real debate.
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- 12In a role-playing game, to force players down a fixed story instead of letting them choose.
Like a train on tracks: you can only go where the rails already lead.
A good game master should not railroad the players.
When the dungeon master railroaded us, the game stopped being fun.
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- 13To enjoy trains as a hobby, like collecting or watching them.
He railroads every weekend with his model train set.
Kids who railroad often build tiny stations and tracks.
- 14To turn fabric sideways so its pattern runs across instead of up and down.
Like laying floorboards sideways instead of lengthwise.
The upholsterer decided to railroad the striped fabric across the sofa.
You can railroad this material to avoid extra seams.
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Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
It comes from putting together the words "rail" and "road."