rails

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.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

rails - a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll runway, rail, track 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