parly train
- noun
- /ˈpɑːli treɪn/
- Archaic
:
tren parlamentario
- Many MPs rely on the parly train for their commute.
Examples
-
She always catches the parly train because it's the cheapest way to travel to London.
-
Due to the old laws, they still run a parly train on this rural line.
-
The parly train was packed this morning with commuters and railway enthusiasts.
-
The parly train left at dawn for London.
-
Many MPs rely on the parly train to ensure they can attend important sessions in Parliament.
-
She always catches the parly train to save money while traveling to London for parliamentary meetings.
-
The parly train is designed to accommodate low fares for those attending Parliament from rural areas.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A long set of connected cars that carries people on rails
8
1.5
A train that carries people, not goods
1
1.8
A long line of connected cars that runs on tracks and carries people or goods
Surface Forms
Morphology
parly + train
The first constituent 'parly' is not a productive or recognizable English word for most learners (it’s an obscure abbreviation of 'parliamentary' and is not in ordinary dictionaries), so even a learner who knows 'train' would not infer the specialized historical meaning. The phrase denotes a technical, historical service pattern rather than a straightforward composition of known word meanings, so the overall sense cannot be derived from its parts.
Etymology
Parly train comes from old British rules that made rail companies run one small, very cheap train so a line would stay open; people shortened 'parliamentary' to parly, and the name stuck. Because these services were often slow, once-a-day, or at awkward times, parly train now means a minimal, low-cost scheduled train.