rail¹ /rāl/

1. A bar extending horizontally or at a slope between supports or on the ground, often to form a support, a fence, a guard, a track for wheels, etc
2. The railway as a means of travel or transport
3. A horizontal member in framing or panelling (as in a door)
4. The capping part of bulwarks
5. (in pl) a racecourse barrier
6. (in pl) railway shares

1. To enclose or separate with rails
2. To provide with rails
3. To send by railway

To travel by railway

railˈage noun (chiefly S Afr)

(the cost of) transportation by railway

railˈing noun

1. Fencing
2. Fencing materials
3. (often in pl) a barrier or ornamental structure, usu of upright iron rods secured by horizontal connections

railˈless adjective

railˈbed noun

The roadbed of a railway track

railˈ-borne adjective

Carried by railway

railˈbus noun

A lightweight railway coach powered by a bus-type diesel engine, or otherwise resembling a bus

railˈcar noun (US)

1. A railway carriage
2. A self-propelled railway carriage

railˈcard noun

Any of various cards entitling its holder (eg a young person, old-age pensioner, etc) to reduced train fares

railˈ-fence noun (US)

A fence of wooden posts and rails

railˈhead noun

1. The furthest point reached by a railway under construction
2. A railway terminal

railˈman or railˈwoman noun

A railway employee

railˈ-motor noun

A self-propelled railway carriage

railˈroad noun (chiefly N American)

A railway

transitive verb (informal)

1. To force or push forward unduly (a person into a particular course of action, a bill through parliament, etc) (orig US)
2. To get rid of, esp by sending to prison on a false charge

• birred
• birring
• birrs
• birse
• birses
• birsier
• birsiest
• birsle
• birsled
• birsles
• birsling
• birsy
• birth
• birth certificate
• birth certificates
• birth control
• birth controls
• birthday
• birthday-book
• birthday-books
• birthday honours
• birthdays
• birthday suit
• birthday suits
• birthdom