railnoun
uk/reɪl/us/reɪl/rail noun (TRAINS)
B1 [ U ] the system of transport that uses trains:
Environmentalists argue that more goods should be transported by rail.
[ C ] one of the two metal bars attached to the ground on which trains travel:
A train left/went off the rails and crashed into the bank, killing several passengers.
More examples
- An inquiry was ordered into the recent rail disaster.
- Government sources estimate a long-term 50% increase in rail fares.
- The rail system is to put 20 million pounds into its modernization programme.
- The question is whether road transit is cheaper than rail.
- The resort is easily accessible by road, rail and air.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Railways & railway lines
- Amtrak
- artery
- buffer
- cable railway
- funicular
- grade crossing
- junction
- light railway
- metro
- monorail
- narrow-gauge
- point
- railroad
- railroad tie
- rapid-transit
- signal
- subway
- switch
- switchback
- track
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rail noun (BAR)
C2 [ C ] a horizontal bar fixed in position, especially to a wall or to vertical posts, used to close something off, as a support, or to hang things on:
Will spectators please stay behind the rail?
Hold onto the rail so that you don't fall.
The (clothes) rail in her wardrobe was crammed full of dresses.
More examples
- The bathroom has a heated towel rail.
- I watched an old woman pull herself up the stairs, holding on to a rail.
- They leaned over the rails and peered down into the dizzying chasm below.
- The rails were full of expensive clothes.
- We have a heated towel rail in our bathroom.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Parts of buildings: fences & rails
- balustrade
- banister
- barbed wire
- barricade
- barrier
- chain-link fence
- crush barrier
- fence
- fence sth in
- fence sth off
- fencing
- gatepost
- hoarding
- paling
- palisade
- picket fence
- picture rail
- railing
- windbreak
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Idiom(s)
go off the rails
railverb [ I + prep ]
uk/reɪl/us/reɪl/formalto complain angrily:
He railed against/at the injustices of the system.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Complaining
- beef
- bewail
- bugger, sod, etc. this for a lark! idiom
- cavil
- chunter
- complainant
- complaint
- groan
- grouse
- harp
- harp on (about sth)
- huff and puff idiom
- kick
- lodge
- make a noise about sth idiom
- nark
- protest
- quibble
- squeal
- whinger
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Phrasal verb(s)
rail sth off