train

TRAYN/tɹeɪn/

Pluraltrains

Verbtrains, training, trained

39 meanings of train

Practice

1
rail vehiclenouncountable
A line of linked carriages that runs along a railway, carrying people or goods.
Like a row of boxes joined together, rolling along metal tracks.
The train was full of people heading to work.
A long train with red cars went slowly over the bridge.
UsageSay by train or on the train: we went by train.
Note
2
teach someoneverbtransitive
To teach a person or animal a skill by practicing it many times.
Like a teacher showing a student the same steps until they learn them.
Coaches train young players to pass the ball quickly.
She trained her dog to sit on command.
UsageSay train someone to do a job: trained to fly.
Similarteach, coach, instruct, school, educate
3
verbintransitive
To practice or exercise often to get better at something or to get fit.
Like practicing the same song over and over until you can play it well.
Musicians train for years to master difficult pieces.
She trains every day to improve her technique.
UsageSay train for a race or train as a nurse.
Similarpractice, exercise, prepare

Less common meanings

4
teach a computerverbtransitive
To teach a computer program to do a task by giving it lots of example data.
Like teaching a child to tell cats from dogs by showing many pictures.
Engineers train the model on millions of photos.
We trained the program to recognize handwriting.
UsageSay train a computer on data.
Note
5
verbtransitive
To point something, like your eyes, a camera, a light or a gun, steadily at something.
Train the flashlight on the lock so I can see the keyhole.
The owl trained its eyes on the mouse in the grass.
UsageSay train something on a target: guns trained on him.
Similaraim, point, focus, level
Note
6
linked seriesnouncountable
A series of connected thoughts or events, including things that happen because of something else.
Like cars joined together, where one idea pulls along the next.
I lost my train of thought when the phone rang.
A strange train of events led to their meeting.
UsageOften in lose your train of thought.
Similarchain, sequence, series, line
Note
7
dress trailnouncountable
The long back part of a dress that trails along the floor behind the wearer.
Like a long tail of cloth that follows behind as you walk.
The bride's train stretched several feet behind her.
A servant carried the long train of her gown.
Note
8
nouncountable
A line of people, animals, or vehicles moving one after another, or the people who follow an important person.
Like a line of ducks walking one behind the other.
A long train of camels crossed the desert.
Settlers joined the train heading west each spring.
UsageOften a train of people or animals.
Similarprocession, line, column, caravan, retinue
9
shape plantsverbtransitive
To make a plant grow a certain way by cutting and bending it.
Like bending a young stick so it grows in the shape you want.
We train the roses to climb up the trellis.
She trains her tomato plants to grow up tall sticks.
UsageSay train a plant along a wall.
Similarguide, shape, direct
Note
10
ship by railverbtransitive
To move goods or people from place to place by railroad.
Colson was to truck the 'plane to Alice Springs, where it would be trained to Adelaide for repairs.
1931, Ion L. Idriess, Lasseter's Last RideHere, trained means sent by train.
Similarship, transport, haul
Note
11
gear setnouncountable
A group of moving parts, like gears, that work each other one after another.
Like a line of dominoes where each one pushes the next.
Inside the watch, a train of tiny gears moves the hands.
A broken tooth in the gear train stopped the old clock.
UsageOften in gear train.
12
army suppliesnouncountable
The group of people and wagons that follow an army carrying weapons and supplies.
Like a moving crowd of trucks bringing everything an army needs.
The army's supply train carried the big guns and food.
The army waited for its baggage train to bring up the cannons and food.
UsageOften baggage train.
Similarconvoy, column
Note
13
meteor trailnouncountable
A trail of light left by a meteor, or the long tail of a comet.
It sometimes happens that the train is directed towards the sun, or makes a certain angle with the line joining the head and the sun; it was then called by the ancient astronomers the beard of the comet.
1877, Amédée Guillemin, James Glaisher
Similartrail, tail, streak
Note
14
pulse seriesnouncountable
A series of electric pulses that follow one after another.
Like a row of light flashes, one right after the other.
The machine gives off a train of tiny electric pulses.
Each train of pulses tells the motor how far to turn.
Similarseries, sequence, string, stream
15
gang rapenounslangvulgarcountable
A sex act in which several men take turns having sex with one person, often as a gang rape.
Witnesses told police that four men had run a train on a guest.
She went to the police after the men ran a train on her.
UsageUsually in run a train on someone.
Note
16
release schedulenouncountable
A planned timetable for sending out new versions of software.
Like a bus that leaves on schedule, so an update that isn't ready waits for the next one.
The fix will go out on the next release train.
Features that miss this release train will ship with the next one.
UsageOften release train.
Similarcadence, cycle, schedule
Note
17
bird tailnouncountable
A bird's long tail or long showy feathers, like a peacock's.
Like a long, feathered tail that sweeps the ground behind the bird.
The peacock spread its train to show off.
The bird's long train dragged behind it.
Similartail
Note
18
game cheatsverbtransitive
To add cheats to a video game by making a special patch for it.
Like adding a secret code that changes the rules of a game.
Pirate groups often crack and train games to add unlimited lives.
The cracked version was also trained, so it came with a cheat menu.
Similarhack, mod, patch
Note
19
powder trailnouncountable
A thin line of something laid out along a surface, especially gunpowder.
Like a line of dominoes set up to fall one after another.
He lit a train of gunpowder leading to the barrels.
A thin train of powder ran across the floor.
Similartrail, line
Note
20
class of peoplenounliteraryfigurativelycountable
A group of people seen as belonging together, such as a crowd of followers.
Similarhost, band, group, crowd, following
21
long winding formnounliterarycountable
The long, winding shape of something narrow, like a river or a snake's body.
Like a long ribbon laid out in twists and turns.
From the hill we saw the shining train of the river.
The snake's long train slid over the warm sand.
Similarcourse, ribbon, length
22
verbintransitive
To follow one after another in order.
Similarfile, trail, troop
23
sleighnouncountable
A long, heavy sleigh used in Canada to carry goods, wood, and other loads.
Similarsled, sledge
24
nounobsolete
An animal's tail.
25
nounarchaic
The marks an animal leaves as it goes.
26
nounobsolete
Food or a smell left along the ground to lead an animal.
27
nounobsolete
How a horse runs.
28
verb
To follow a line of metal in rock to where it starts.
29
verbobsolete
To drag something behind you.
In hollow cube / Training his devilish enginery.
1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost
30
verbobsolete
Of a long dress, to drag behind on the floor.
31
nounobsolete
The act of betraying or tricking someone.
32
nounobsolete
A sly plan to fool someone.
33
nounobsolete
A trap for catching animals or people.
34
nounobsolete
Something used to attract an animal or person, often into a trap.
35
nounobsolete
A weak bird given to a young hawk to catch for practice.
36
nounobsolete
A sign that shows something.
37
verbobsolete
To get someone to come by tricking or tempting them.
O, train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note.
c. 1594, William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”
38
verbobsolete
To be very close to someone.
39
nounobsolete
Oil made from whale fat.

Practice

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

Origin

It came through Old French from a word meaning "to pull or draw," which goes back to Latin trahō, "to pull." The verb came later from the noun.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The word came through Old French from a verb meaning to pull or draw, ultimately from Latin. en.wikipedia.org
Latin trahō means to pull. en.wiktionary.org
The English verb developed subsequently from the noun. en.wiktionary.org