rail
noun /reɪl/
/reɪl/
Idioms - [countable] a wooden or metal bar placed around something as a barrier or to provide support
- She leaned on the ship's rail and gazed out to sea.
Extra Examples- She climbed onto the top fence rail.
- She held tightly on to the rail.
- After the accident a guard rail was placed all the way along the cliff path.
- She came slowly down the stairs, holding the banister rail.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- guard
- safety
- curtain
- …
- grab
- grasp
- grip
- …
- on a/the rail
- over a/the rail
- [countable] a bar fixed to the wall for hanging things on
- a picture/curtain/towel rail
Extra Examples- There was thick dust on the picture rail.
- Lace curtains hung from the brass rails over the bed.
- heated towel rails
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- guard
- safety
- curtain
- …
- grab
- grasp
- grip
- …
- on a/the rail
- over a/the rail
enlarge image[countable, usually plural] each of the two metal bars that form the track that trains run onExtra ExamplesTopics Transport by bus and trainb2- The train thundered along the rails.
- The train came off the rails.
- Trams run along rails.
- Weeds grew between the rails.
- A child was seen crossing the rails.
- The gun is mounted on rails.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + rail- run along rails
- run on rails
- along (the) rails
- between the rails
- on (the) rails
- …
- come off the rails
- go off the rails
- ride the rails
- …
- [uncountable] (often before another noun) railways as a means of transport
- by rail to travel by rail
- rail travel/services/fares
- a rail link/network
Extra ExamplesTopics Transport by bus and trainb2- He uses a combination of commuter rail and subway to get to work.
- Many business people now opt for high-speed rail rather than flying.
- We went from London to Budapest by rail.
- the Channel Tunnel rail link
- efforts to modernize the rail network
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- high-speed
- light
- commuter
- …
- fare
- ticket
- network
- …
- by rail
Word Originnoun Middle English: from Old French reille ‘iron rod’, from Latin regula ‘straight stick, rule’.
Idioms
get back on the rails
- (informal) to become successful again after a period of failure, or to begin functioning normally again
- He has helped get the company back on the rails again.
go off the rails (informal)
- to start behaving in a way that is strange or unacceptable, for example drinking a lot or taking drugs
- She went completely off the rails after her sister died.
- She was worried her son was going to go completely off the rails.
- to lose control and stop functioning correctly
- The company has gone badly off the rails in recent years.
jump the rails
- (of a train) to leave the track suddenly