rail, n. [Akin to LG. & Sw. regel bar, bolt, G. riegel a rail, bar, or bolt, OHG. rigil, rigel, bar, bolt, and possibly to E. row a line.].

A bar of timber or metal, usually horizontal or nearly so, extending from one post or support to another, as in fences, balustrades, staircases, etc. [1913 Webster]
A horizontal piece in a frame or paneling. See Illust. of Style. [1913 Webster]
A bar of steel or iron, forming part of the track on which the wheels roll. It is usually shaped with reference to vertical strength, and is held in place by chairs, splices, etc. [1913 Webster]
The stout, narrow plank that forms the top of the bulwarks. [1913 Webster]
A railroad as a means of transportation; as, to go by rail; a place not accesible by rail. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
a railing. [PJC]

Rail fence. See under Fence. -- Rail guard. (a) A device attached to the front of a locomotive on each side for clearing the rail of obstructions. (b) A guard rail. See under Guard. -- Rail joint (Railroad), a splice connecting the adjacent ends of rails, in distinction from a chair, which is merely a seat. The two devices are sometimes united. Among several hundred varieties, the fish joint is standard. See Fish joint, under Fish. -- Rail train (Iron & Steel Manuf.), a train of rolls in a rolling mill, for making rails for railroads from blooms or billets.

rail, v. t.

To inclose with rails or a railing. [1913 Webster]
"It ought to be fenced in and railed." [1913 Webster]
To range in a line. [1913 Webster]
"They were brought to London all railed in ropes, like a team of horses in a cart." [1913 Webster]

rail, n. [F. râle, fr. râler to have a rattling in the throat; of German origin, and akin to E. rattle. See Rattle, v.].

Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds of the family Rallidæ, especially those of the genus Rallus, and of closely allied genera. They are prized as game birds. [1913 Webster]

" The common European water rail (Rallus aquaticus) is called also bilcock, skitty coot, and brook runner. The best known American species are the clapper rail, or salt-marsh hen (Rallus longirostris, var. crepitans); the king, or red-breasted, rail (Rallus elegans) (called also fresh-water marshhen); the lesser clapper, or Virginia, rail (Rallus Virginianus); and the Carolina, or sora, rail (Porzana Carolina). See Sora." [1913 Webster]

Land rail (Zoöl.), the corncrake.

rail, v. i. [F. railler; cf. Sp. rallar to grate, scrape, molest; perhaps fr. (assumed) LL. radiculare, fr. L. radere to scrape, grate. Cf. Rally to banter, Rase.].

To use insolent and reproachful language; to utter reproaches; to scoff; -- followed by at or against, formerly by on. Shak. [1913 Webster]

"And rail at arts he did not understand." [1913 Webster]

"Lesbia forever on me rails." [1913 Webster]

rail, v. t.

To rail at. Feltham. [1913 Webster]
To move or influence by railing. [1913 Webster]
"Rail the seal from off my bond." [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

rail, n. & v.
--n.
1 a level or sloping bar or series of bars: a used to hang things on. b running along the top of a set of banisters. c forming part of a fence or barrier as protection against contact, falling over, etc.
2 a steel bar or continuous line of bars laid on the ground, usu. as one of a pair forming a railway track.
3 (often attrib.) a railway (send it by rail; rail fares).
4 (in pl.) the inside boundary fence of a racecourse.
5 a horizontal piece in the frame of a panelled door etc. (cf. STILE(2)).
--v.tr.
1 furnish with a rail or rails.
2 (usu. foll. by in, off) enclose with rails (a small space was railed off).
3 convey (goods) by rail.

Idiom

off the rails disorganized; out of order; deranged. over the rails over the side of a ship. rail fence esp. US a fence made of posts and rails. rail gun an electromagnetic projectile launcher used esp. as an anti-missile weapon.

Derivative

railage n. railless adj.

rail, v.intr. (often foll. by at, against) complain using abusive language; rant.

Derivative

railer n. railing n. & adj.

rail, n. any bird of the family Rallidae, often inhabiting marshes, esp. the corncrake and water rail.

Etymology

ME f. ONF raille f. Rmc, perh. imit.

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THESAURUS

rail

L, attack, baluster, balustrade, banister, bar, barrier, bawl out, berate, bottle up, boundary, box up, branch, bulkhead in, cable railway, cage, censure, check, chew out, cloister, cog railway, condemn, confine, constrain, coop, coop in, coop up, cork up, crib, criticize, decry, denounce, detain, el, electric railway, elevated, elevated railway, embankment, encage, enclose, feeder, feeder line, fence, fence in, fulminate, gravity-operated railway, gruel, handrail, hedge, hem, hem in, hold, hold in custody, hold in restraint, horse railway, immure, impound, inhibit, jaw, junction, keep in, keep in custody, keep in detention, lath, light railroad, line, main line, mere shadow, metro, mew, mew up, monorail, pale, palisade, paper, pen, pen up, picket, pound, rack railway, rack-and-pinion railway, rail in, rail line, railing, railroad, railway, rake, rate, restrain, restrict, revile, roadbed, roadway, rod, scold, seal up, shackle, shadow, shaving, shut in, shut up, sidetrack, siding, skeleton, slat, slip, soup, splinter, stone wall, streak, street railway, streetcar line, subway, switchback, terminal, terminus, tongue-lash, track, tram, tramline, trestle, trolley line, trunk, trunk line, tube, turnout, underground, upbraid, vein, vituperate, vociferate, wafer, wall, wall in

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ROGET THESAURUS

rail

Prison

N prison, prison house, jail, gaol, cage, coop, den, cell, stronghold, fortress, keep, donjon, dungeon, Bastille, oubliette, bridewell, house of correction, hulks, tollbooth, panopticon, penitentiary, guardroom, lockup, hold, round house, watch house, station house, sponging house, station, house of detention, black hole, pen, fold, pound, inclosure, isolation (exclusion), penal settlement, penal colony, bilboes, stocks, limbo, quod, calaboose, chauki, choky, thana, workhouse, Newgate, Fleet, Marshalsea, King's Bench, Queen's Bench, bond, bandage, irons, pinion, gyve, fetter, shackle, trammel, manacle, handcuff, straight jacket, strait jacket, strait-jacket, strait-waistcoat, hopples, vice, vise, yoke, collar, halter, harness, muzzle, gag, bit, brake, curb, snaffle, bridle, rein, reins, bearing rein, martingale, leading string, tether, picket, band, guy, chain, cord, cavesson, hackamore, headstall, jaquima, lines, ribbons, bolt, deadbolt, bar, lock, police lock, combination lock, padlock, rail, wall, stone wall, paling, palisade, fence, picket fence, barbed wire fence, Cyclone fence, stockade fence, chain-link fence, barrier, barricade, drag.

Inclosure

N inclosure, envelope, case, wrapper, girdle, pen, fold, pen fold, in fold, sheep fold, paddock, pound, corral, yard, net, seine net, wall, hedge, hedge row, espalier, fence, pale, paling, balustrade, rail, railing, quickset hedge, park paling, circumvallation, enceinte, ring fence, barrier, barricade, gate, gateway, bent, dingle, door, hatch, cordon, prison, dike, dyke, ditch, fosse, moat.

Disapprobation

VB disapprove, dislike, lament, object to, take exception to, be scandalized at, think ill of, view with disfavor, view with dark eyes, view with jaundiced eyes, nil admirari, disvalue, improbate, frown upon, look grave, bend the brows, knit the brows, shake the head at, shrug the shoulders, turn up the nose, look askance, look black upon, look with an evil eye, make a wry face, make a wry mouth at, set one's face against, dispraise, discommend, disparage, deprecate, speak ill of, not speak well of, condemn, blame, lay blame upon, cast blame upon, censure, fronder, reproach, pass censure on, reprobate, impugn, remonstrate, expostulate, recriminate, reprehend, chide, admonish, berate, betongue, bring to account, call to account, call over the coals, rake over the coals, call to order, take to task, reprove, lecture, bring to book, read a lesson, read a lecture to, rebuke, correct, reprimand, chastise, castigate, lash, blow up, trounce, trim, laver la tete, overhaul, give it one, give it one finely, gibbet, accuse, impeach, denounce, hold up to reprobation, hold up to execration, expose, brand, gibbet, stigmatize, show up, pull up, take up, cry 'shame' upon, be outspoken, raise a hue and cry against, execrate, exprobate, speak daggers, vituperate, abuse, abuse like a pickpocket, scold, rate, objurgate, upbraid, fall foul of, jaw, rail, rail at, rail in good set terms, bark at, anathematize, call names, call by hard names, call by ugly names, avile, revile, vilify, vilipend, bespatter, backbite, clapperclaw, rave against, thunder against, fulminate against, load with reproaches, exclaim against, protest against, inveigh against, declaim against, cry out against, raise one's voice against, decry, cry down, run down, frown down, clamor, hiss, hoot, mob, ostracize, blacklist, draw up a round robin, sign a round robin, animadvert upon, reflect upon, glance at, cast reflection, cast reproach, cast a slur upon, insinuate, damn with faint praise, hint a fault and hesitate dislike, not to be able to say much for, scoff at, point at, twit, taunt, sneer at, satirize, lampoon, defame, depreciate, find fault with, criticize, cut up, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, take exception, cavil, peck at, nibble at, carp at, be censorious, pick holes, pick a hole, pick a hole in one's coat, make a fuss about, take down, take down a peg, set down, snub, snap one up, give a rap on the knuckles, throw a stone at, throw a stone in one's garden, have a fling, have a snap at, have words with, pluck a crow with, give one a wipe, give one a lick with the rough side of the tongue, incur blame, excite disapprobation, scandalize, shock, revolt, get a bad name, forfeit one's good opinion, be under a cloud, come under the ferule, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears, take blame, stand corrected, have to answer for.

Animal

N animal, animal kingdom, fauna, brute creation, beast, brute, creature, critter, wight, created being, creeping thing, living thing, dumb animal, dumb creature, zoophyte, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, crustacean, shellfish, mollusk, worm, insect, arthropod, microbe, microbe, animalcule, alligator, crocodile, saurian, dinosaur (extinct), snake, serpent, viper, eft, asp, aspick, frog, toad, trout, bass, tuna, muskelunge, sailfish, sardine, mackerel, ant, mosquito, bee, honeybee, tardigrade, spider, biped, quadruped, webfoot, flocks and herds, live stock, domestic animals, wild animals, game, ferae naturae, beasts of the field, fowls of the air, denizens of the sea, black game, black grouse, blackcock, duck, grouse, plover, rail, snipe, horse, cattle, kine, ox, bull, bullock, cow, milch cow, calf, heifer, shorthorn, sheep, lamb, lambkin, ewe, ram, tup, pig, swine, boar, hog, sow, steer, stot, tag, teg, bison, buffalo, yak, zebu, dog, cat, dog, hound, pup, puppy, whelp, cur, mongrel, house dog, watch dog, sheep dog, shepherd's dog, sporting dog, fancy dog, lap dog, toy dog, bull dog, badger dog, mastiff, blood hound, grey hound, stag hound, deer hound, fox hound, otter hound, harrier, beagle, spaniel, pointer, setter, retriever, Newfoundland, water dog, water spaniel, pug, poodle, turnspit, terrier, fox terrier, Skye terrier, Dandie Dinmont, collie, feline, puss, pussy, grimalkin, gib cat, tom cat, fox, Reynard, vixen, stag, deer, hart, buck, doe, roe, caribou, coyote, elk, moose, musk ox, sambar, bird, poultry, fowl, cock, hen, chicken, chanticleer, partlet, rooster, dunghill cock, barn door fowl, feathered tribes, feathered songster, singing bird, dicky bird, canary, warbler, finch, aberdevine, cushat, cygnet, ringdove, siskin, swan, wood pigeon, vermin, varmint, pest, animal, zoological equine, bovine, vaccine, canine, feline, fishy, piscatory, piscatorial, molluscous, vermicular, gallinaceous, rasorial, solidungulate, soliped.

See related words and definitions of word "rail" in Indonesian