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rail
(redirected from going off the rails)

   Also found in: Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.06 sec.
rail 1  (rl)
n.
1.
a. A bar extending horizontally between supports, as in a fence.
b. A structure made of such bars and supports and forming a barrier or guard; a railing.
2. A steel bar used, usually in pairs, as a track for railroad cars or other wheeled vehicles.
3. The railroad as a means of transportation: goods transported by rail.
4. A horizontal framing member in a door or in paneling.
tr.v. railed, rail·ing, rails
To supply or enclose with rails or a rail.

[Middle English raile, from Old French reille, from Latin rgula, straight piece of wood, ruler; see reg- in Indo-European roots.]

rail 2  (rl)
n.
Any of various marsh birds of the family Rallidae, characteristically having brownish plumage and short wings adapted only for short flights.

[Middle English raile, from Old French raale, perhaps from Old French raler, racler, to scrape, from Old Provençal rasclar; see raclette.]

rail 3  (rl)
intr.v. railed, rail·ing, rails
To express objections or criticisms in bitter, harsh, or abusive language. See Synonyms at scold.

[Middle English railen, from Old French railler, to tease, joke, from Old Provençal ralhar, to chat, joke, from Vulgar Latin *ragulre, to bray, from Late Latin ragere.]

railer n.

rail 1
Noun
1. a horizontal bar supported by vertical posts, used as a fence or barrier
2. a horizontal bar on which to hang things: a curtain rail
3. one of a pair of parallel bars that serve as a running surface for the wheels of a train
4. railway: by car or by rail
5. go off the rails to start behaving improperly or eccentrically
Verb
to fence (an area) with rails [Old French raille rod]

rail 2
Verb
rail against or at to complain bitterly or loudly about [Old French railler to mock]

rail 3
Noun
a small wading marsh bird [Old French raale]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.railrail - a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
balusters, balustrade, banister, handrail, bannister - a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling
bar - (law) a railing that encloses the part of the courtroom where the judges and lawyers sit and the case is tried; "spectators were not allowed past the bar"
barrier - a structure or object that impedes free movement
fife rail - the railing surrounding the mast of a sailing vessel
ledger board - top rail of a fence or balustrade
guardrail, safety rail - a railing placed alongside a stairway or road for safety
taffrail - the railing around the stern of a ship
2.rail - short for railway; "he traveled by rail"; "he was concerned with rail safety"
railroad, railroad line, railway, railway line, railway system - line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
3.railrail - a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll
bar - a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon; "there were bars in the windows to prevent escape"
railroad track, railway, railroad - a line of track providing a runway for wheels; "he walked along the railroad track"
third rail - a rail through which electric current is supplied to an electric locomotive
streetcar track, tramline, tramway - the track on which trams or streetcars run
4.rail - a horizontal bar (usually of wood or metal)
bar - a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon; "there were bars in the windows to prevent escape"
hitching bar, hitchrack - a fixed horizontal rail to which a horse can be hitched to prevent it from straying
ledger board - top rail of a fence or balustrade
picture rail - rail fixed to a wall for hanging pictures
plate rail - rail or narrow shelf fixed to a wall to display plates
fence rail, split rail - a rail that is split from a log
5.rail - any of numerous widely distributed small wading birds of the family Rallidae having short wings and very long toes for running on soft mud
wader, wading bird - any of many long-legged birds that wade in water in search of food
family Rallidae, Rallidae - rails; crakes; gallinules; coots
maori hen, weka, wood hen - flightless New Zealand rail of thievish disposition having short wings each with a spur used in fighting
crake - any of several short-billed Old World rails
notornis, Notornis mantelli, takahe - flightless New Zealand birds similar to gallinules
coot - slate-black slow-flying birds somewhat resembling ducks
Verb1.rail - complain bitterly
kvetch, plain, quetch, complain, sound off, kick - express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness; "My mother complains all day"; "She has a lot to kick about"
2.rail - enclose with rails; "rail in the old graves"
hold in, enclose, confine - close in; darkness enclosed him"
3.rail - provide with rails; "The yard was railed"
architecture - the profession of designing buildings and environments with consideration for their esthetic effect
furnish, provide, supply, render - give something useful or necessary to; "We provided the room with an electrical heater"
4.rail - separate with a railing; "rail off the crowds from the Presidential palace"
divide, separate - make a division or separation
5.rail - convey (goods etc.) by rails; "fresh fruit are railed from Italy to Belgium"
transport - move something or somebody around; usually over long distances
6.railrail - travel by rail or train; "They railed from Rome to Venice"; "She trained to Hamburg"
ride - be carried or travel on or in a vehicle; "I ride to work in a bus"; "He rides the subway downtown every day"
7.rail - lay with rails; "hundreds of miles were railed out here"
lay, put down, repose - put in a horizontal position; "lay the books on the table"; "lay the patient carefully onto the bed"
8.rail - fish with a handline over the rails of a boat; "They are railing for fresh fish"
fish - catch or try to catch fish or shellfish; "I like to go fishing on weekends"
9.railrail - spread negative information about; "The Nazi propaganda vilified the Jews"
blackguard, clapperclaw, abuse, shout - use foul or abusive language towards; "The actress abused the policeman who gave her a parking ticket"; "The angry mother shouted at the teacher"
10.rail - criticize severely; "He fulminated against the Republicans' plan to cut Medicare"; "She railed against the bad social policies"
denounce - speak out against; "He denounced the Nazis"

rail
Translations
rail [reɪl] n (on stair) → barandilla, pasamanos m inv;
(on bridge) → pretil m [of balcony, ship] → barandilla;
(for train) → riel m; carril m;
rails nplvía sg;
by rail → por ferrocarril, en tren

rail [reɪl] n (on stair) → rampe f;
(on bridge, balcony) → balustrade f [of ship]; bastingage m;
(for train) → rail m;
rails nplrails mpl, voie ferrée;
by rail → en train, par le train

rail [reɪl] nGeländer nt;
(on deck of ship) → Reling f;
rails npl (for train) → Schienen pl;
by rail → mit der Bahn

rail [reɪl] n (on stair) → ringhiera;
(on bridge, balcony) → parapetto; [of ship] → battagliola;
(for train) → rotaia;
rails nplbinario, rotaie fpl;
by rail → per ferrovia, in treno

rail
n rail [reil]
1 a (usually horizontal) bar of metal, wood etc used in fences etc, or for hanging things on Don't lean over the rail; a curtain-rail; a towel-rail. reling قَضيب مَعْدَني релса zábradlí; držák stang; -stang das Geländer, die Stange κάγκελο, βέργα, κρεμάστρα barra põikpuu میله؛ نرده kaide barre, tringle מַעֲקֶה रेल, पटरी rešetka, pregrada tartó jeruji rimill, rið sbarra, asta; staccionata, parapetto 横棒 가로장, 가로대, 난간 turėklas, karnizas, skersinis marga; šķērskoks; pakaramais palang gantungan stang, rek, rail rekkverk, gelender, stang poręcz, balustrada barra bară; balustradă; suport рейка; перекладина zábradlie; držadlo drog šipka stång, räcke ราว parmaklık, askılık, ... asacağı 橫杆 поруччя, перила لوہے یا لکڑی کی پٹری tay vịn
2 (usually in plural) a long bar of steel which forms the track on which trains etc run. spoor خُطوط سِكَّة الحَديد релси kolejnice skinne die Schiene σιδηροτροχιά carril, raíl rööbas ریل؛ خط آهن kisko rail(s) מְסִילַת בַּרזֶל पटरी šine, tračnice sín rel járnbrautarteinn rotaia レール 철로 bėgis sliede[] landasan rail jernbaneskinne szyna carril şină рельсы koľajnice tračnica šina skena, räls รางรถไฟ ray, demiryolu rayı 鋼軌 залізнична колія ریل کی پٹری thanh ray
v
(usually withinoroff) to surround with a rail or rails We'll rail that bit of ground off to stop people walking on it. afkamp, afskort يُسَيِّج بالقُضْبان заграждам ohradit indhegne mit einem Geländer umgeben κλείνω με κιγκλίδωμα cercar (con una barandilla, etc) piirdega ääristama نرده کشی کردن rajata kaiteella entourer d'une grille, d'une clôture לִתחוֹם בְּמַעֲקֶה छड़ से घेरना ograditi stupićima elkerít memagari girða af með grindum (munire di sbarre/staccionate/parapetti) さくで囲む 난간으로 둘러싸다, 울타리를 치다 aptverti, atitverti nožogot ar margām u.tml. menghalang afrasteren sette opp stakitt, gjerde inn odgrodzić gradear огораживать ohradiť ograditi ograditi inhägna ใส่ราว parmaklıkla çevirmek 用欄杆圍住 обгороджувати перилами, відгороджувати جنگلا یا کٹہرا لگانا rào lại
n railing
(usually in plural) a fence or barrier of (usually vertical) metal or wooden bars They've put railings up all round the park. relings, afskortings درابْزين перила hrazení rækværk; indhegning das Geländer κιγκλίδωμα verja, enrejado tara نرده گذاری aita grille, clôture מַעֲקֶה रेलिंग stupići korlát pagar grindverk grata, cancellata さく (세로의) 울타리 užtvara, turėklas, barjeras iežogojums; margas pagar afrastering (sprinkel)gjerde, rekkverk płot, balustrada gradeamento grilaj, îngrăditură ограда zábradlie, ohrada ograja ograda staket, räcke[] ราวลูกกรง parmaklık, çit 欄杆 огорожа, поруччя باڑ rào chắn
n railroad
(American) a railway. treinspoor خَط سِكَّة حَديد жп линия železnice jernbane die Eisenbahn σιδηρόδρομος ferrocarril raudtee راه آهن؛ خط آهن rautatie chemin de fer מְסִילַת בּרזֵל रेलमार्ग, रेलवे željeznica vasút rel kereta api járnbraut ferrovia 鉄道 철도, 철로(의) geležinkelis dzelzceļš laluan kereta api spoorweg jernbane kolej caminho de ferro cale ferată железная дорога železnica železnica železnička pruga järnväg ทางรถไฟ demir yolu 鐵路 залізниця; залізнична колія ریلوے لاءن đường xe lửa
n railway
1 a track with (usually more than one set of) two (or sometimes three) parallel steel rails on which trains run They're building a new railway; (also adjective ) a railway station. trein خَط سِكَّة حَديد жп линия železnice; železniční jernbane; jernbane- die Eisenbahn; Eisenbahn... σιδηρόδρομος vía; línea de ferrocarril raudtee راه آهن rautatie (de) chemin de fer רַכֶּבֶת रेलमार्ग željeznička postaja vasút jalan kereta api járnbraut ferrovia 鉄道 철도, 철로(의) geležinkelis dzelzceļš landasan kereta api spoorweg jernbane linia kolejowa caminho de ferro (de) cale ferată железная дорога železnica; železničný železnica železnica järnväg รางรถไฟ demir yolu 鐵路 залізнична колія ریل کی پٹری đường sắt
2 (sometimes in plural) the whole organization which is concerned with the running of trains, the building of tracks etc He has a job on the railway; The railways are very badly run in some countries. spoorweë خُطوط سِكَّة الحَديد железница železnice; dráha jernbanen die Eisenbahn οργανισμός σιδηροδρόμων ferrocarriles raudtee راه آهن rautatie chemin(s) de fer הָרַכֶּבֶת रेलवे željeznica vasút perusahaan kereta api járnbraut ferrovia 鉄道事業 철도 회사, 철도 시설 geležinkelis dzelzceļš pengangkutan kereta api spoorwegen jernbane(selskap) kolej de ferro os caminhos căi ferate железная дорога železnica železnica železnica järnväg ระบบทางรถไฟ demir yolları 鐵路部門 залізниця ریلوے سے منسلکہ تمام کام ngành đường sắt
by rail
by or on the railway goods sent by rail. per spoor بواسِطَة القِطار по влак dráhou med jernbane; med tog mit der Bahn με το σιδηρόδρομο por ferrocarril rongiga با قطار؛ از طریق راه آهن rautateitse voie ferrée par בַּרַכֶּבֶת रेलमार्ग से željeznicom, vlakom vasúton dengan kereta api með lest per ferrovia 鉄道で 철도로, 기차편으로 geležinkeliu pa dzelzceļu dengan kereta api per spoor med toget/jernbanen koleją via férrea por cu trenul по железной дороге železnicou, po železnici po železnici železnicom med järnväg (tåg) โดยทางรถไฟ demir yoluyla 乘火車 залізницею بذریعہ ریل گاڑی bằng đường xe lửa


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He is--at least in his own eyes--just another businessman trying to put his kids through college, support his aging mother, and keep his marriage from going off the rails.
And though a few of these sheets are nothing more than handwriting going off the rails, becoming incomprehensible before one's eyes, most have nothing to do with writing, and little to do with depiction.
 
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